The Mated
by Rider1459
Summary: Edward is a very old, very powerful vampire. Living on the earth for over seventeen thousand years has commanded him the respect of every single vampire coven in the world. However, he has been alone for his endless night. Isabella, a young orphan, may be the mate he has been searching for throughout his years. Mating Connection.
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing.**

**Summary: Raised as an orphan in Genoa, Isabella grew up a beggar and an urchin. A realist, she never truly believed in the supernatural occurrences that were attacking her town. Being so close to a city of vampires and one vampire that would call her his mate, will change her opinion. **

Another one was dead. Thrown carelessly onto the pavement, his head was snapped and stained with sinew and the sidewalk was coated in blood. A small crowd had gathered around the dead man, though no policemen nor had paramedics arrived. I wondered idly if they ever would arrive, or if they had been scared away. This was the second murder this month, the tenth in the last six. Almost everyone in Genoa had become victims of paranoia.

I sighed and sat down across the street from the murder scene, pulling out my tin can and setting it beside my person. On it were two words, _per favore, _and nothing else. I sat huddled on a thin sheet of cardboard, my back to a brick wall and my head ducked into the front of the scarf that surrounded my head. It always got too damn cold in the winters here.

People passed me with no regard for my custom or sufferings. They would not even look me in the eyes. I wished that they would, it would be nice to feel connected to someone, if only for a moment. They were too embarrassed in themselves, so it was and always had been. The police had shown up at the murder scene by now, and were ushering people away and putting up yellow tape. A paramedic listened to the man's pulse and nodded at nothing, a moment later a blanket was being tossed over his corpse. A gurney was brought out and the man was placed on top of it. Another moment went by before he was wheeled away into an ambulance. The siren started and the car rushed down the street. The police remained and one woman knelt down to examine a patch of blood.

"Ciao, beautiful. What can you do for me today?" It was a group of men, not too much older than I with rough, unkempt faces and greasy black hair. They were arranged in a triad, with the one who spoke at the front. I shook my head at him and pressed my back further into the wall, hiding my eyes from his view.

"Come one, pretty girl. Lighten up. Don't you want to eat tonight? All it'll take is your tiny mouth," He stopped speaking and looked to his right. His upper lip twisted into a snarl and he snapped something at the man on his right before returning his attention to me. He knelt down and grabbed ahold of my chin. I whimpered and tried to pull away from his grasp but he only tightened his fingers until I had nowhere to look but his hairy, greasy face.

"You one of Fizzaro's girls?" I nodded mutely and he cursed, releasing my chin and wiping his hand on his jeans. "What's a whore like you doing begging, eh? Shouldn't you be in the bedrooms?" I paled and shuddered, my eyes wandering over to the police who were still fully occupied in their investigation.

"Leave me alone." I whimpered and grabbed my cup from off the ground. "If this is your territory, I'll leave. Just leave me alone." My eyes flickered to the police again, but this time the man's eyes followed. He snorted when he was where my gaze lay and he kicked the cup from my hand. A few coins rolled out and I darted out for them. The man's hand stepped on top of my wrist and I cried out.

"Giovanni, Reynaldo, get the money and go back home. I think I'll stay awhile." The two other men nodded and gathered the fallen money, a two day's workload for me, and hurried off. I cried out when I saw them scurry off. The man stepping on my wrist reached down and hauled me to his feet.

"I'm gonna show you what happens to little girls who misbehave, and maybe if you're lucky you'll get your money back." He sneered in my face before wrapping an arm tightly around my waist, his hand drifting into further territory. I whimpered and tried to pull away, but that only angered him more and I felt the tip of a blade push into my hip.

"Hey!" The man let go of my waist and retracted the blade, stepping back and glancing at the police cars. They hadn't noticed our debacle, and were still concentrated on the pool of blood and the murders. They hadn't noticed us and that seemed to appease the man, for he grabbed for me again, this time linking my arm with his.

"You, princess, aren't going anywhere." He started walking, his pace past and every few seconds he'd look behind him as though he suspected someone was watching. I hoped that someone was out there trailing behind us. At least they'd know where to find my corpse.

"Hey! Stop!" I was shoved out of the man's arms and onto the pavement. I could feel my arm scrape against the sidewalk and I hissed, crawling backwards into an alleyway. The man scowled and started towards me when a fist hit his jaw and he tumbled backwards onto the road. A car honked loudly as it veered away from his head and he cursed, jumping back up and rubbing his jaw.

"What the fuck was that for, man?" His eyes flashed to mine and I heard a chuckle, though not from the man who wished to hold me prisoner.

"I told you to stay away from what's mine, Jacob." I felt a calming sensation fall over me when I realized who my savior was. I scrambled up off the disgusting ground and scurried over to my savior's side. He smiled at me and reached out to clasp my hand in his. I took it and stepped behind him. He kissed my cheek before turning back to face Jacob.

"I know you're not stupid, mutt. Why did you come after one of my girls?" He spat in Jacob's face and squeezed my hand. Jacob cursed and wiped the spit from his face, his eyes blazing with rage and jaw a bright red.

"Don't pull that shit with me, Nicolo. I know she's not one of yours. She was begging, not in the brothel." Nic's jaw clenched and he let go of my hand to step closer to Jacob without putting me in the line of fire. He lifted his finger and it gave me visible pleasure to see him flinch from the gesture.

"You will not threaten my sister. If I hear you have been near her one more time, I will do more than this," with that he pulled out his switchblade and slashed at Jacob's arm. He cried out and tried to grab at his arm but Nic got there first and held him with the blade to his throat.

"Take what he took from you, Bells." I reached out and placed my fingers in his left pocket, pulling out a twenty euro.

"Just move your hand a little to the right, baby." I paled again and Nic pressed the blade further into his throat.

"Last warning." He gritted out. Jacob nodded best that he could in Nic's death grip and started coughing once he was let go. With stony eyes Nic told him to leave before turning back towards me. I could see that his ire had not completely settled.

"What the hell were you doing out here, Bells? You could've been killed." He grabbed my hand and started dragging me back towards the whorehouse. There was no use fighting him and I followed blindly. His step never faltered until we reached the scene of the murder. He cursed twice and squeezed my hand before pulling me faster to our destination. Five minutes later we were at _La Nostra Casa_, the resident brothel of Genoa's poor town. The house was an abandoned factory in the middle of an old parking lot. The building was made of brick and its windows were once coloured, though now most had broken or were covered with cardboard. Nic pushed open the wooden door and ushered me inside. I removed the scarf from my head and walked towards the large fire pit in the centre of the room. He had to dig up some of the ugly purple carpet in order for the fire not to burn the factory down, and the flames were surrounded by sofas of different colours. Beside the sitting area was a large staircase with candles placed along the wall. A front desk was beside the door, where an oil lamp and an old client journal sat. Nic couldn't afford electricity, so he used fire to light the rooms of the brothel. 'It adds to the romantic atmosphere', he'd say when I pressed him about it.

I sat down on the sofa that looked the most hygienic and a moment later Nic joined me on the one adjacent. He pressed a cup of coffee into my hand and I removed a little bottle of vodka from my coat packet. I dumped the entire thing into my cup and Nic sighed and shook his head. He didn't understand my desire to drink, didn't understand how badly I needed to cope. My hands shook as I lifted the cup to my mouth, my throat burning at the combination of caffeine and alcohol.

"Why do you hurt your body like that, Bells?' He whispered into his cup. I snorted and placed the half-empty cup onto the ground.

"You'd have me become a whore and hurt my body and my spirit." He sighed and rubbed his brow. Nic was the opposite of any Italian, with blonde hair and pale skin. He was a tiny man, but held great strength and skill in combat. He was also my best friend, the only one who had stuck with me once we were out of the horrible orphanage we grew up in.

"It's not as bad as you think, babe. The money's great and I'd let you keep all of your profits. I'll even supply your pills." I laughed and leaned back against the couch. Truth be told, I was a virgin and planned to stay that way for some while. I had lived in the brothel for some on five years now, and I was terribly surprised Nic hadn't kicked me out by now. He had turned away more than a few women looking for boarding.

"Are you kicking me out, Nicolo? Has my time finally come to an end?" My voice was cold and uncaring as I stared into the dancing flames. They twirled and flickered, some reaching as high as my head. I knew the height of the flames wouldn't last, it was evening now and the flames would have just been tended to for the night shift. By midnight the foyer would be pitch black and freezing.

"It's not me," he muttered and covered his face with his palm. "The girls, they think you've overstayed your welcome." And so he said the words that had plagued him for months. I squeezed the armrest with broken fingernails and dirty hands. I felt the tingling of tears in my eyes and my bottom lip quiver. I shouldn't be as surprised as I was, the girls never liked me and it had always been their utmost desire to see me leave. I was more shocked that Nic was listening to them.

"I think that the girls don't know what the hell they're talking about." I was quiet, but in the cold and faintly lit room my voice seemed to echo off of each of the walls. Nic looked at me with pain-filled eyes.

"I just…I've had another girl come to me today, beautiful young thing, but I've got no room for her." He took a deep breath and set his gaze on me. "Look Bells, I'd hate to kick you out. It would crush me, devastate all my morals. But, you give me almost no income compared to the rest of the girls. You have the nicest room in this joint, yet you barely give me five dollars a week. Look, just take a client once month, that's all I'm asking. One per month, and then you can keep your room. You wouldn't have to go out on the street anymore; you wouldn't have to deal with assholes like Jacob." His gaze turned soft. "Please Bells, it really isn't that bad. I'll make sure you don't end up with some brute. I'll make sure it's gentle."

"How did you know Jacob?" I was changing the topic, but my mind couldn't deal with what Nic was telling me right now. I wasn't sure if it ever could. Nic snorted at my completely different train of thought and went to refill his cup of coffee, taking mine and the vodka bottle with him.

"He's one of the Englishman's lackeys. Pretty high up, if I'm not mistaken. A weak one though, he only got where he was because his grandfather was a menace. From what I hear Sam's got some real troubles with him. I'm surprised he hasn't been killed, to be honest. He may be once he hears about today." When he grinned it was wolfish and it showed his perfectly white teeth. Nic had a mean streak as big as the Mediterranean and it could hit anyone at any time. It hadn't been aimed directly at me, yet, and I was thankful, but wondered when it would. It only seemed a matter of time.

"But don't change the subject, Bells. Do we have a deal?" He turned to face me, both our cups in his hand. One of his brows were raised, his face set in a stony mask. The nervousness and fear I felt almost made me want to throw-up. The thought of giving away my maidenhood to a seedy drug-dealer or leper had my stomach reeling.

"Let me think on it." Nic sighed and placed my cup down on the floor before turning his back on me. His shoulders hunched forward and he suddenly seemed quite small.

"You have a month. If you don't accept my offer, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." My cup forgotten, I stood and knocked it into the fire. A portion of it sizzled and popper as it came in contact with the fire, the paper cup catching quickly.

"What? Have you forgotten what I did for you?" My teeth were gritted together and I grabbed for Nic's shoulders. He spun around and grabbed my arms, clasping them to my sides.

"We've been outta that orphanage for five years now, Isabella. The accident happened seven years ago. I've done more than repay your services. Now, I think, you need to repay mine." I snatched myself out of his arms and took a step back, my eyes searching his face to try and find the man he once was. A few stray tears leaked out my eyes when his resolve never wavered.

"Very well then, I'll be out within the month." Nic nodded his head once and went to clean up the coffee that landed on the carpet. I retrieved my scarf and made the assent up the stairs.

"Oh, Isabella, what is the fair maiden doing today?" I closed my eyes and reached for the handrail as I passed by the rooms on the second floor. This floor was where all the lowly clients went, the ones who could barely afford food but would save up for a month to enjoy five minutes of fun.

"Just going to bed, Jessica." I muttered, starting my walk up to the fourth floor. I heard the trilling laugh of the harlot and her footsteps as she followed behind me. I increased my pace until I felt her hands on the back of my coat, tugging. I turned to face her, my arms crossed over her chest.

"What do you want, whore?" She laughed at the venom in my voice, her white makeup cracking and her dry hair swaying. She grinned and her teeth were black.

"Tough talk for one about to be kicked out." Now that made me pause and I furrowed my brow. Surely Nic wouldn't have the audacity to tell the whores before speaking to me. In truth, I wasn't sure if I believed that, but I had hope for the man I had saved seven years ago. My pause did seem to give this whore confidence and she strutted closer to me.

"You'll be out on the streets and you'll end up like those bodies they keep finding on the road. Victims of the vampire." She smirked and stepped back, smacking her burgundy lips. I shook my head and started walking back up the stairs.

"Vampires don't exist, Jessica; you really should know this." I heard her laugh again, but at least she wasn't following me.

"Yes they do, Isabella. I had one as a client just last week. You'd have known about it, had you been earning your keep like the rest of us." I closed my eyes for a moment and pictured a million bad things happening to Jessica before I jogged my way up to my bedroom.

Despite supposedly having the largest room in the house, it was still just as cold and barren as the rest. I had a bed, an old flimsy mattress thrown on a wire bedframe, and my windows were still mostly intact. I grabbed a package of matches from beside my bed and lit the candle on the wall next to the door, and the one next to the window. The breeze from the outside would put that one out in an hour, but until then I had light. I tucked the matches into my jacket pocket before ripping the old beaten thing off of me and onto the floor. Next were the gloves that had holes where the fingers should be, and then I toed off my soggy boots and put them beneath the window to dry out.

I sat down onto my bed, my teeth chattering and my hands shaking. I reached for the woolen blanket and pulled it up to my chin. I had the thing since I arrived at the orphanage as a babe. It was one of two things I had taken with me when I left with Nic. The other was a worn copy of Wuthering Heights, a book I had saved up for and bought when I was eleven. I kept that underneath my mattress, lest any snooping whore would find it.

Drained from my day, I did not feel like crying. I simply curled up into a ball and stared out the window, letting the winds and the stars lull me to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**I own nothing.**

**We meet Edward in this chapter ;) I'm particularly fond of this chapter, I will be honest. **

**Thank you for all the support. As an aspiring writer I appreciate everything from reviews to simple reading my story. **

**Edward**

I stood high on the Eiffel Tower; higher than any human could go. From here, I could scope the city and see beyond any normal eye. Paris was beautiful in the moonlight, very symmetrical, very peaceful. I could see the lights of the shops, the waves of the rivers, and I could hear the hum of the populace. The night was clear and the stars shone brightly above my head. What I could see was perfection; it was what I couldn't see that bothered me.

The Volturi had called me to their palace two days prior with the desire for my help in the growing newborn problem. Murders tore across Europe, a new body was found practically once a day with the same symptoms. Throat ripped out, a small pool of blood-smaller than it should've been-surrounding the body, with no possible evidence as to who the murderer could be. Aro suspected it to be the working of a few newborn vampires; I suspected him to be an idiot who knew nothing of the workings of our kind. It was not a newborn who was committing these crimes; it was a seasoned vampire who craved the attention of the Volturi. Why any idiot would want their attention was beyond me, but I intended to find out.

I looked down at the grass below my feet. Behind the tower had been cleared for construction-a necessary after a guest took a tumble from a broken handrail; and a large pile of dirt had been dug. They were planning on putting in layer upon layer of soft soil and grass to try and cause less…casualties. Humans, they were getting stupider by the decade.

I released my hold on the support beam and allowed myself to fly backwards, feeling the air rush between my pores and lift my eyelids. I could feel gravity push me down and I closed my eyes, only opening them so I could land in a standing position. I brushed a clump of dirt from my leather jacket and wiped away the craters my feet had left behind before leaving the hole, ducking under the construction barriers and heading towards my car.

I slipped into the driver's side of the Volvo and reached over to the glove box, removing a folder with a list of names. Pursing my lips I flipped quickly through the pages, bending the ones I thought to be of importance and tossing the absurd ones aside. When I came across a familiar name, I chuckled before tossing it to the backseat. _Carlisle Cullen, _the file had read. I had met Carlisle some hundred years ago, he had been a mateless nomad back then, yet he lived on the blood of animals and served as a travelling doctor, of sorts. Why Aro would suspect him for these murders was beyond me. I put my car in gear and made a mental note to visit Carlisle sometime in the future; see if he found that mate he kept harping on about.

I was headed to Italy now, Genoa to be specific. A man had been reported dead this morning and I was hoping if I could get there quickly enough, I could find the vampire and put an end to him. The quicker I got away from the Volturi, the safer I was. I never enjoyed being in their presence for long, the sight of their cracking skin and thin hair reminded me too much of an elderly human clinging to life. The Volturi were like that, they sucked pride and respect out of vampires to make themselves feel young and important. In truth a lone newborn could probably take out the three brothers. Perhaps not the guard, but definitely the three in charge. Staying pent up in a castle was not good for the body or the spirit. I would know, I was older than the sum of the Volturi and I did not look nearly their age. I still looked my human counterpart, not the aged and degraded form I could've taken on.

I drove through the streets of Paris and towards the border of Italy. I sped through the streets, determined to get to Genoa by dawn.

Italy was more enjoyable than the other European countries. It had a certain charm to it, one I couldn't quite put my finger on but enjoyed immensely. It made me happy to be in Renaissance towns, and seeing the sights that only the greatest of artists could create.

The roads were mostly empty and the lights were off as I left my car in a parking garage. I walked silently through the streets of the small town, smelling the air for any unusual indications, clues that may lead me to the vampire who was causing this entire ruckus. The air to the north was clean, as was the east. The southerly wind had a hint of spoiled blood in it, so I paced myself in that direction. I leapt on top of a house and started running across the rooftops, my sense of smell guiding my feet in the right direction.

I came upon a road in the poorer part of town, the roads broken and the buildings in shambles. The streetlights did not work here, and the town was bathed in the glow of the moon. I jumped down from an apartment complex and into the street below. The wind was strong here, and I pulled my scarf up from beneath my jacket, all to keep up the façade, of course.

My nostrils burned with the scent of blood tainted with foreign venom as I walked to a patch of sidewalk next to an old motel. I knelt down and ran my fingers over the rough pavement, my fingers catching a tiny bit of the now dry, rusted blood. I lifted my fingers to my face and inhaled deeply, trying to see if I could match the venom to a face. When I came up empty, I stood and wiped my hand on my jeans. I looked up once more at the motel. A window on the second story was broken, glass jagged and pieces missing. I walked over next to the wall and knelt once more. I narrowed my eyes and found a piece of glass lying against the foot of the building.

I reached for the glass and felt it in my fingers. It was small and formed a perfect circle. An awkward half-smile came on my face when I realized this came from a vampire. I pocketed the evidence and walked towards the entrance to the motel.

The lobby was small and smelt of tobacco and alcohol. The carpet was stained with human fluids and the ceiling was dripping with spoiled rain water. A green light was hanging from the ceiling, though only one of the two bulbs was working, and two wooden chairs with ripped up cushions stood next to a dusty window. A wooden desk was next to a staircase, and a black and white television was running an old sitcom. I rang a rusty silver bell, one that made a sound of pots clacking rather than a ring, and a middle aged woman appeared a few minutes later. Her face was bare, with no makeup, but her hair was dyed an artificial red and her skin was orange. She had a barely-there stomach and I used my sense of smell to determine that she was pregnant.

"You don't belong here. Go stay uptown." She sneered and turned to walk away. I reached for her sleeve and she yanked it out of my grasp.

"Please ma'am, my name is Detective Masen. I'm here to ask about the murder." She laughed and raised one of her eyebrows before collapsing into a spinning office chair behind the desk. She pulled out a cigarette from a package and lit it, taking a long drag.

"Bullshit. It's four in the morning. You think I'd believe that some fancy detective would get up at four in the morning just to question me about some old guy who died?" She laughed and took another drag. "I didn't know the man who died. Did he owe you money? He owed me some." She laughed again and put out her cigarette. The room smelled horrible now and I held my breath to keep from breathing in the vile stench.

_The man's probably a drug pusher. Davis probably didn't give him his pay. No, maybe not. He's too fancy looking for that sorta thing. Maybe he's parta' gang? Yeah, that's probably it. _The woman's thoughts assaulted me once she wasn't speaking and I growled at her lowly insinuations. Humans were stupid creatures. If this woman didn't go careful, she might become my morning snack.

"Ma'am, I would hate to get rough with you." This time she really laughed, a full blown chortle with her head held high. I heard a few complaints from some residents a few rooms down, but the woman apparently did not, for her laugh continued until it turned into a coughing fit.

"Honey, you're what? Twenty, twenty-one? You're as slim as a post, you couldn't take me on." She chuckled again and lit another cigarette.

"Please ma'am. Just tell me what you know of the man. Paul Davis, was his name?" She paled and racked her brain, trying to find a time when she spoke his name to me. She came up empty.

"You knew Paul?" I nodded my head and removed a false badge from my coat pocket.

"I'm with the police, ma'am. I just need to ask a few questions about this man and I can be on my way. It doesn't look like a busy night." She sighed and shook her head, opening up a small side door in the desk. I stepped through it and nodded at the woman, removing my hat and placing it on the desk. She grumbled something and pulled out a folded chair from a storage closet. She unfolded it across from the office one and I sat in it, so we were now face-to-face.

"Thank you ma'am." She grumbled again and put out her current cigarette.

"Quit calling me ma'am. My name's Maria." She rejected my hand when I stuck mine out to shake, and busied herself searching through some papers.

"Well, ask your questions, boy. I haven't got all day." I nodded and pulled out my phone, making it look like I had my questions written down; when in truth I could remember them all perfectly.

"Was Mr. Davis acting strangely the day before? Did he mention anything strange?" She thought for a moment before shaking her head. She kept her nose buried in her paperwork.

"I didn't know Paul very well. He came in about once a month and stayed for two or three days, then left. He wasn't a fascinating fellow, quite boring if I do remember. As for yesterday," she put the pile of papers back down on the desk and turned to face me, crossing her legs over one another.

"Paul came in piss-drunk after he fucked some girl up at Nicolo's. He came in stumbling through the lobby then left to his room. I had to clean up his puke from the hallway." Her face twisted as she relived the unpleasant memory. "He didn't come down from his room after that, and I left him alone. Company policy and all that."

"Did anyone else come in here? Anyone strange-looking?" She shook her head and answered no sharply, but her mind told a different story. In her head I could see a dark-haired, dark-skinned man whizzing by the counter with unnatural speed. An hour later a scream had been heard from Paul's room and the window had been shattered. Paul's corpse had been found a few hours later, once the sun rose. The man had been long gone by then. I could see it in Maria's mind that she was terrified of this man, scared that he would come back.

I got what I had come for, and stood to leave when she caught my arm.

"If you want more answers, go to Nicolo at the brothel a block away from here. He kept a record of all the idiots who slept with his girls." I nodded in thanks and patted her arm before I left. I would head over to the brothel, see if anything strange had happened there, and then I would call Volterra and let them know of this dark vampire causing the chaos in the world.

Maria had been true to her word. The brothel was only a block away and had a large sign out front with a picture of a voluptuous woman who claimed to have the best scented candles in town. I shook my head with a smirk on my face and entered the building. A sweet and musky scent entered my nose and I found myself becoming faintly aroused. My dead heart seemed to fizz and the sensation was almost painful. My fangs started to elongate and I had to press my tongue into them to make them recede. I wondered mildly if it had been too long since I had last fed. Usually the smell of human did not invoke such a reaction in me.

A man who smelled heavily of alcohol was sleeping on a couch with a newspaper over his head. A few puffs of smoke were emanating from a once-lit fire and the lobby was completely frozen, with absolutely no light. I walked towards the man and tapped him on his shoulder. A moment later he was standing on his feet with a knife to my face. I grabbed his arm and forced it by his side, easily removing the blade from his grasp.

"My name is detective Masen, and I would prefer it if you did not put a knife in my face." I showed him the fake badge and he blushed a deep red, his shoulders hunching over. The man was short; easily six inches shorter than I and his current pose made him seem to be like a dwarf. I placed the knife down onto a couch.

"Sorry sir, I just need to protect my sisters." His eyes drifted up a staircase, where sounds of pleasure could still be heard. He muttered expletives under his breath and grabbed an armful of logs from behind one of the couches surrounding the fire pit, dumping them into the centre. Next he placed the newspaper that had been over his head on top, along with a few other paper cups and twigs. Then he grabbed a package of matches and lit the fire. The thing was weak at best, and barely lit the room, let alone heated it.

"I'm sure your sisters need protecting from the scum of the earth, hmm?" He sighed and ran a hand over his face. He looked very old and very tired, though he couldn't be any older than twenty-five.

"Are you here to arrest me, sir? Do I have a fine to pay?" His voice was sardonic as he ignored me, stepping around me to sweep the entryway. It didn't escape my notice that he'd do anything to avoid eye-contact.

"I'm not here to arrest you; I'm here to ask you some questions." I sat down on the couch he was previously sleeping on and crossed my legs. I raised an eyebrow at the man as I sat sprawled out.

"I'd rather you arrest me." He muttered, and I had the decency to understand I was not meant to hear that. He sighed and placed the broom back behind the desk before turning his back to face me. "Alright, shoot."

"Did you know a man named Paul Davis?" Outwardly I was watching the flames of the fire grow from weak to strong. Out of the corner of my eye I was watching this man's reaction to my words. I knew from his mind that he was Nicolo, the one the woman at the motel was speaking of. I felt no need to confirm his identity. The mind never lies.

"No, I've never heard that name." He paused as though he were about to say something else but quickly shut his mouth. Something crashed from a floor or two up and both of us looked towards the ceiling. My heart drummed against my chest once more, and I could feel the instinctual side of me perking its ears and baring its fangs. I shushed the beast and returned to my interrogation.

"You've never heard of Paul Davis? I'm quite surprised, your friend at the motel said you knew him quite well. She said he was a frequent customer."

"She was lying."

"I think she was not."

"She's a drug addict and an alcoholic."

"And you're a pimp."

His shoulders straightened and he walked over to me, his finger pointing in my face and his cheeks bloated. The hairs on his arms were standing on edge; that from fear of my questioning or his subconscious knowledge of my dangerous persona, I cared not. I stood and the man cowered under my height. I narrowed my eyes into slits and placed my hand out to push at his chest. As gently as I could I pushed him back. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down.

"Do you know Paul Davis?" He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. His face lost some of its colour and he lowered his finger.

"Yeah, kind of. He was a frequent client. He really liked Jess and Lauren, you know, the girls who'll try anything." He grimaced and continued scratching at his neck. "He's dead now though, so what does it matter?" He walked back towards the front of the room and opened up a musty journal. He flipped through some pages until he came across one that was yellow and had a putrid odor to it. I could smell that this page had been opened recently.

"Paul Davis. Forty-five years old. Five-foot eight, black-grey hair. White. Overweight." He brought the journal over and handed it to me. I stared at the words on the flimsy pages, trying to connect this man to a vampire's plot. "It's just statistics so I'd know who to go after if he hurt one of my girls'. You're not going to find any dirt on him in here." I handed the journal back to him and he placed it back on the desk. I clasped my hands behind my back and walked towards the staircase.

"Jess and Lauren were the girls he frequented the most? Would you mind if I spoke to them?" He sighed, a resigned sound and nodded his head.

"I need your name, in case you hurt them." He flipped to a new page in the journal and then looked at me with expectant eyes. I barked a laugh and began my assent up the stairs.

"You wouldn't be able to find me even if you killed every last person on this planet."

Jessica and Lauren were fast asleep on the second floor of the building. Much like the first this floor of the brothel was poorly lit and the heat was dismal at best. A few solar lights were strung here and there and lit candelabra were hanging on the walls. I could see perfectly well, but I wouldn't think the situation would be pleasant for the humans.

I opened the door to the girls' room with a bang and then shut it silently. They both jumped up and covered their bare chests with the sheets of the bed. Their hair was in tangles and their faces were smudged from makeup. These girls' once might've been beautiful, but their facades made them ugly, not desirable.

"Good morning girls. My name is detective Masen. I'm here to ask you a few questions about Paul Davis." One of the girls, a blonde, scowled and jumped from her bed. Her breast spilled out of the top of her dress, though she did not seem to notice or care as she strutted towards me and tried to slap me. I sighed and grabbed her hand before she could do any damage to herself.

"Madam, please make yourself decent." Her eyes alighted with anger and she was about to scream at me when the other whore ran over to me. Her eyes were bright and her mouth was agape.

"You're like the other man!" She smiled and turned to the blonde. The girl furrowed her brow and backed off, but kept a wary eye on me.

"I'm Jessica." I reluctantly took the hand she offered. "You're like Laurent!" Her mind supplied a picture of a dark-haired, dark-skinned vampire with red eyes and a wicked smile on his face. I wondered briefly how this woman was able to tell what I was. I kept my eyes hidden by contacts.

"Who is this Laurent?" She bit her lip and started making gestures with her hands. The other girl, Lauren, went over to the window and removed a make-shift blind, letting the sun in. Luckily for me, today was cloudy.

"Oh, he was a client I had a few weeks ago. He told me not to tell anyone he was a vampire, but you're one too, so it must be okay." She smiled toothily and looked like the epitome of happiness while I froze in place. Using my mind I locked the door behind me and made the glass of the window like steel. These two would not be leaving here alive.

"What else did Laurent say to you?" She was still oblivious, but her friend was not. Lauren could see the murderous glare on my face and was beginning to get a bit nervous. She started trying to edge around me, but I blocked her from reaching the door.

"Oh, he told me lots. You'd be surprised how much a man will tell you when he's having the time of his life." Her eyes gazed longingly at my body, lingering on my still half-aroused state. I could quite easily determine that my arousal was not from her or her friend. She, however, could think whatever she liked.

"What sort of things did he tell you?" I stepped forwards and placed my hand on her neck, feeling her pulse thrum beneath my fingers. Her breath became short as I dipped my head to her pulse point. "Hmm?" I reminded her.

"Uh, he said he was trying to make a message, that the, oh god, the uh Volguri or something were, sweet Jesus, uh, oppressive and he was going to, right there baby, make them pay." My hand was gently massaging the area above her breast, while the other titled her head in the right direction for me to drink. While she was in the throes of pleasure, I allowed my fangs to elongate and graze her neck. Before I bit, I checked her mind. An image of Laurent, naked and deep into Jessica's body appeared.

_You do not fear me, do you my sweet?" Jessica cried out a garbled no. "Yes, one day we will all live as equals. One day this world won't serve a purpose." He grinned and looked up. "One day, Edward, you will die." That was whispered, too low for any human to hear. He pummeled back into Jessica, gasping as he reached his peak. _

"Jessica, watch out!" Lauren cried, but it was already too late. My teeth sunk into the succulent flesh of her neck and I was drinking with abandon. Lauren went to scream but I grabbed her and pulled her to me. I held and drank from Jessica with one hand while holding Lauren's crying and screaming mouth closed with the other. Once I sucked Jessica to the bone I did the same with Lauren.

I could feel the power surge within me. Unfortunately, I had made quite a mess. Leaving two dead bodies would not fare well for me in the eyes of the humans. Picking them up, I ground their bones to dust before throwing the ash out the window. Nothing was left of the two girls except their scent.

My mind was in shock as I let the room and walked back downstairs. I was right; it was not some crazed newborn terrorizing Europe. These were planned murders, planned to get the Volturi's attention. Planned to get my attention, apparently. I had not taken a leadership role in the vampire world in over five thousand years, and I had not planned to take one now. I groaned and ran a hand over my face. It seemed like nothing good could last forever. I sighed as I reached the lobby, fully planning on leaving and calling the Volturi, telling them I couldn't continue with this assignment. I would tell them all that I knew, and they could dispatch an entire squad to go and kill this vampire. I didn't want to deal with politics. It was why I gave up control a long time ago.

"Were they any helpful?" Nicolo looked up briefly from registering a client to meet my eyes with his. I grinned and nodded my head, heading for the door. My heart was still hammering away and my mind was still clouded with lust, despite having just fed. I didn't like it, and I wanted to leave as soon as I could.

"Oh yes, very informative." I reached for the door handle.

"Good." He returned to the client and I was just about to leave when the hammering in my heart increased and footsteps raced down the stairway.

"Nic!" A voice cried. I turned around slowly, keeping my head down. My heart was hurting so badly, the hammering increased ten-fold. My heart was not beating, but it was calling out for something.

"Bells? What is it?" Nicolo left the desk and rushed over to the woman, Bells, and grabbed her shoulders. He shook her a little but her eyes had fallen onto me. I lifted my head.

The hammering stopped.


	3. Chapter 3

**I own nothing**

**Thank you for the continued support.**

**Isabella**

I woke early to the sound of laughter and squeals. My usual wakeup call was never a second early, and it held to its promise every single day. I lay awake in my bed, the cold wind filtering through the still-dark room and over my body. I hugged my blanket closer to me and sighed, watching my breath form in puffy circles. Today would be colder than yesterday, I could feel it.

The bed creaked and moaned as I sat up, swinging my legs over the edge and wiggling my toes in my holey socks. They were wet from the light snow that had come in overnight and melted, but they were the only pair I owned, and they would have to do. Hopefully my boots would've dried off.

I went about the process of redressing for the day, despite how unpleasant it was to put my hands in fingerless gloves and slip on a coat with no filling to it. My left boot was dry, but I had to empty a handful of snow and water from the right one, so it was no consolation. I put on the dry boot and carried the other, hoping that the lobby fire would be lit so I could dry it. I had no brush for my hair, so I used my fingers as a comb and then placed my scarf over my head. I looked down beside my bed frame hoping to see my beggar's cup, and I grimaced when I remembered the events of yesterday. I sighed when I realized I would have to ask Nicolo for a new cup. No doubt he would bring up our quarrel yesterday.

I closed the door to my room as quietly as I could and went down the stairs. I passed by the third floor, where the slightly higher class clients went and made my way down to the second. I scrunched up my nose; Jessica and Lauren would probably be up and ready to laugh at me by now.

Surprisingly enough the second floor was mostly silent. A few squeals and laughs could be heard, but nothing like the vicious ranting Jessica and Lauren went on about. Against my better judgment I walked closer to their room, placing my ear to the wooden door. My brow furrowed when I realized I could hear nothing. No laughs, no scorns, no mockery, just silence. Perhaps they had overslept for once. I pushed on the door handle and though it was shut firmly, I managed to get it open. I stepped inside their room and shut the door behind me.

The bed was empty; the sheets had been thrown onto the floor. The small vanity with the broken mirror was smudged with makeup; but I didn't know if that was from before today or not. I walked over to the window and ran my hand over the glass and cardboard. The curtains had been drawn, so I knew that they had been here at some point this morning. I peered outside, but there was no trace of them. Paling, I felt my heart skip a beat. I left their room quickly, shutting the door silently and walking to the common's room across the hall. A few of the couches had women on them in various states of disrobe; some with a few men, but none of these people were Jessica or Lauren.

_Shit,_ I though, pulling my scarf down to my neck and running my hands through my hair. I wasn't morose over the two being missing. In all honesty it elated me that I wouldn't have to deal with their insults and open mockery anymore. I didn't, however, wish for them to vanish, or to die! I was the last person to have seen Jessica; I counted myself personally responsible for her disappearance. I groaned and walked down the final slight of stairs. I was going to have a helluva time explaining this to Nic.

I jogged down the steps, my hands in my jacket pockets and my mind startled. I had no idea what to say to Nic, and I had no idea how to come to terms with their disappearance in my head.

"Nic!" He had been registering a client, an elderly gentleman that would normally make me nauseous to imagine in bed. He dropped his pen into the client journal and rushed over to me, grabbing me by my shoulders. I looked into his face, his tired eyes and his worn expression. I knew I must've looked startled; I was feeling like I had been hit by a bus.

"Bells? What is it?" I peered over his shoulder to the see a tall man slouched over, his body shaking and his stance rigid. I furrowed my brow in confusion as I allowed my eyes to wander over the back of this mysterious man. He had hair the colour of a rusted penny, with skin so alabaster to compare it to. His clothes were dark, and he seemed as though he blended in with his surroundings. At the same time, his presence demanded attention from everyone in the room. I felt my heart cry at seeing him, as though he were an old friend I had missed for too long.

Nic shook my shoulders and my eyes drifted briefly to his worried face, but I was being drawn back to this mystery man with the hunched shoulders and the bronze hair. He was moving now, moreover his fingers were moving. They were twitching at an unnatural speed and kept trying to clasp on to something I could not see. Perhaps there was another girl in front of him. Perhaps Jessica and Lauren were right there, propositioning him, and he was trying to find the money in his pocket. The thought of another girl being with him made my blood boil, yet I did not know why.

I whimpered softly at the amount of pain this man seemed to be in and tried desperately to get him to turn around, to meet my eyes with his. My wish was granted when his fingers stopped moving and I heard a sharp intake of breath. Very slowly, the man turned around. His eyes were staring at my shoes but they slowly made their way up to my face.

The front of this man was even more beautiful than the rear. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a high end brand with the insignia on the front pocket. He wore a white dress shirt topped with a black leather jacket, and he had a chain around his neck, the bottom part disappeared underneath his shirt. His face looked as though it had been carved by Michelangelo himself. There were no cracks in his skin, no disgusting pores or childhood scars. His lips were smooth and pouty, his nose in perfect proportion to the rest of his face. His eyes though were quite dull. They were a basic green, not swirling or vibrant like they should have been. I frowned slightly and looked closer. The man was hiding something beneath his eyes. I could not see it, but there was something else there.

The man blinked once and looked me up and down. He blinked again, then once more. Eventually his eyes lingered on my face, as though he were memorizing my appearance, much like I had done to him moments earlier. He raised a hand and rubbed at his heart and I found myself mimicking his actions. He let loose a small whimper and I reciprocated the action. I did not know what came over me. I was like a beast, guided solely by instinct.

I felt mad, like I had no clue what was happening. The situation was completely out of my control, yet I could tell what was happening. _I am mad north-north-west,_ I thought to myself. I could see my madness, see how to control it, but I was helpless to the circumstances of the earth. My feet twitched and I found myself stepping towards this man. He looked at me, his face drawn in and miserable. I became saddened at his pain and took another step. He joined me now, and we met in the centre of the room. Now only a meter apart, he raised a hand and touched my cheek. I closed my eyes and leaned into his palm. A small spark, like the feeling of accidently pulling an extension cord out wrong, jumped through me and I shivered at the sensation. The man smiled then, a crooked thing where one side was higher than the other. I felt myself responding with a smile of my own. My reciprocation caused his to grow in size, and he no longer looked as though he were in pain. He looked happy, even.

"What's happening?" My voice was a careful whisper. I barely even mouthed the words, yet still he heard. His smile dimmed slightly and his dull and ugly eyes seemed to become sad once more. I reached up towards his eyes and skimmed my hand over his brow. Up close I could see that he wore contacts. I became more confused. Why would a god want to hide their eyes? How else would their people know them?

"Many, many thing. I thought I was too old…" He chuckled and shook his head before stepping back. His head gestured towards Nicolo, who was looking at us with an expression between anger and confusion.

"Do you know this man?" I opened my mouth, the words _my whole life, _on my lips, but I could not form them. They were not true, not at all. I hadn't known this man, not even for five minutes. My mind and my body were alien to him, as he was to me. Yet my heart did know him, and embraced him readily. My confusion only grew. I had never heard of a human feeling this way.

"No, Nic, I um, I haven't known him for a while. I uh, met him when I was younger and I uh, missed him." I blushed furiously and the man beside me chuckled. Nicolo didn't believe me for a second, that much was clear. He raised a blonde eyebrow and sneered his lips. Nic had known me since I was a babe. He'd have known if I met a man who impacted me this much.

"I met Bells a few years ago. I'm a friend of her cousin's. I never knew she was living here." He frowned and looked up. My blushed deepened when I realized he was inspecting, and disapproving, of my living conditions. I looked down at my feet and twisted my hands together. The man reached for one and my heart surged. At the same time, I was perturbed by him calling me Bells. That was what the lowlifes here called me. Bells and the occasional Isabella. I hated the name Bells, despised it more than anything. Hearing it come from his lips made me squeamish and resentful. The next time he called me name, he would say Bella. He squeezed my hand and stepped forward closer to Nic.

"I've known Bells since she was a baby. I raised her. Don't you think I would know you? She has no family. That's why she was at the fucking orphanage with me!" Nic was becoming riled, I could tell. I shifted behind my mystery man and looked up from beneath his arm.

What happened next was fascinating. Nic's voice dwindled down to a soft murmur and he yawned. His eyes grew heavy and he stumbled towards the couch. He lay down and closed his eyes. A moment later he was asleep. I looked at my gorgeous man in shock. He was staring intently at Nic, but smiled fondly at me when he noticed my stare.

"Shall I take you to breakfast, my Bells?" He smiled flatteringly, but again the name Bells tarnished the sentence and made me resent his words.

"Bella, my name's Bella. Or Isabella, but I prefer Bella. I have no last name, I grew up in an orphanage so I was lucky enough to even have a given first name." I blushed and looked down. Using the hand that wasn't attached to mine the man raised my chin with his fingers to look into his eyes.

"May I take you to breakfast, Bella?" I nodded, my eyes wide and my cheeks red. He chuckled once more and removed both his hands from my body, only to lightly place his left hand on the centre of my back to lead me out the front door. I stopped to put on my wet and sloshy boot before we exited.

"You must be cold, that jacket looks horrible." He looked disturbed again, as though some ethereal force had angered him, and he removed his leather jacket. "Yours is wet, wear mine and we will buy you a new one later." He helped me remove my jacket and placed his on my shoulders. Despite being on him for some time, the jacket was surprisingly cold. I shivered and his frown deepened.

"You don't have to buy me anything. I don't want your charity." I felt highly hypocritical. Every day I asked for people to have charity, yet I wanted none from this man. I didn't want to take advantage of him, for him to think that I was using him. At the same time I wanted him to care for and love me. I wanted to be dependent on him, and I wanted him dependent on me.

I stopped walking and turned towards him. "What's your name?" We had just walked past the motel, and the sun was rapidly rising. The usual beggars and whores would begin to file in soon. It wasn't something I wanted this mystery man to see. He turned towards me fully and a crooked smile appeared on his face. He squeezed my hand and started walking again.

"My name's Edward. I also have no last name." He smirked and I ducked my head, the blush I knew all too well creeping its way onto my cheeks. By now we had made it onto the overpass blocks away from the brothel. I stared up at Edward in confusion. Was he planning on hitchhiking? A moment later a taxi arrived, and Edward ushered me inside. We sat next to each other in the back, my heart pounding as though it wished to reach out and become one with Edward.

Eventually we stopped in a more crowded, refined part of Genoa. The houses here were made of brick or stone, and only a few of them had any signs of cracks or expenditure. The road was paved over nicely and a few trees were planted in front of the houses. I was in his arms, my face blushed and my breathing rapid. He ran a hand through my locks and my imagination saw him bring the hand to his nose and inhale.

"My car's this way. Come on." He took my hand again and started leading me in an unknown direction. A part of me felt incredibly stupid; I didn't know this man and he could very well be leading me towards my death. I could already tell that he wasn't a normal human being. Perhaps he was a demon, sent from hell to torture me and send me to my damnation. I chuckled under my breath, for if that were the case I would greet Lucifer with open arms, if it meant I could stay with Edward.

"What are you thinking?" We didn't stop walking, if anything the pace increased. I found myself jogging to match his pace and more than a few times he had to drag me along. I was panting by the time he finally stopped to ask his question.

"I was just wondering if you're the devil." I smiled wryly to let him know I was joking, but his eyes turned a shade darker beneath the muddy contacts and his fingers twitched. He turned around and began walking again.

"We're headed there." He pointed to a parking garage some fifty feet from us and began to drag me forward once more. I complied, my mind mulling over his strange behavior with my question. Perhaps he found me stupid or unamusing?

The concrete building came in sight and keeping my hand in his he led me to a shiny silver car at the back of the lot. He let go of my hand to open the door for me, and I sat down in the leather seat. A moment later he joined me in the driver's side of the car.

Edward had a deep desire for speed. He raced in and out of cars, pushing his tiny little vehicle as fast as it would go. I gripped the door handle with all my strength, and huddled beneath my seat belt. A couple of times I heard him curse as he swerved around some transport trucks, but other than that he was a pretty calm driver. I took a chance and looked at the speedometer, and shuddered at its result. On the bright side, it only took us ten minutes to get to our destination.

Edward parked his car at the back of a little café, once again getting out and helping me out of the vehicle. I blushed but accepted his hand. My heart was still fluttering away in my chest, and I wondered if he would ever explain what was happening between us.

"Come now, I have much explaining to do." He breathed out through his nose and started walking towards the door. "But I believe you shouldn't be hungry."

We sat down at a table away from the general cluster of people and were handed two menus. I browsed through mine, biting my lip and drumming my fingers on the tablecloth. I felt highly out of place. Most of the patrons here were dressed in their Sunday best, and the décor spared no expense. Even the tablecloths were made of silk, and I worried that I'd dirty them by placing my hands there. The waiter had given me a dirty look when I gave my order, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were gossiping in the kitchen at the moment.

"This place is very sensible. Not the best, but it would take me over a day to get you to the best café in Europe." He sighed and twirled the spoon around in his tea. "Eventually." He muttered and emptied a packet of sugar. I looked down at my plate; half empty, and then compared it to his full one. As I raised my fork of eggs to my mouth, I raised my eyebrows at him and looked down at his plate. He smirked and shook his head, pushing his plate towards me.

"Are you not hungry?" I delved into his pancakes and almost moaned at the taste. His fingers twitched again and he blinked before leaning back in the wicker chair.

"No, I ate this morning." I snorted, not an attractive thing to do with a mouthful of pancakes.

"Edward, it's only what, eight o'clock? How could you have eaten before now?" He smirked again, but this time it was filled with pride, not smugness.

"Seven-thirty. And I'm quite full." I nodded my head, somehow knowing I wasn't going to get any answers out of him and returned to my eggs. Twenty minutes later I had finished both of our plates and for the first time in a while, I felt full. Telling him this made him smile, but his eyes turned sad. He paid for the bill and took my hand one more time, leading me to a small clothing store down the street.

"You're different, aren't you?" His step never faltered, but he looked up to the clouded sky and seemed to sigh. He opened up the door to the boutique and ushered me inside. It didn't go unnoticed that he did not answer my question.

"Pick out what you like." He leaned against a post near the change rooms and gestured for me to start shopping. My mouth dropped open slightly and I furrowed my brow.

"You're not buying me clothes." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at him straight in the eyes. He chuckled and stalked towards me, grabbing a piece of my hair and tucking it behind my ear. His eyes would be smoldering, if they weren't concealed by the ugly contacts.

"Please, Bella. You'll be cold and wet in your old jacket." He breathed onto my face and tried his hand at forming his most concerned expression. I smirked and shook my head.

"Nu-uh. I'm not letting you buy me anything. You already paid for breakfast." He leaned back and his eyes examined my face. His eyes then flickered to something behind my back and in an instant he was gone, back leaning on the post. I blinked in confusion. No normal person could move that fast. A second later I was tapped on the shoulder by a salesclerk. I answered their questions quickly before returning to Edward.

"How'd you move so fast?" He dropped his head and muttered something under his breath. A second later he had pulled out a jacket from one of the clothing racks and paid for it at the cash.

"Hey!" I jogged to catch up with him. "I told you not to buy me anything!" He smiled and thanked the cashier, handing me the fabric garment bag with the coat inside. I scowled up at him and removed his leather jacket, replacing it with the new one.

"See? It fits you perfectly." He smiled radiantly and put his jacket back on. Placing his hand on the small of my back he led me outside and back towards his car. Before we reached it, I stopped and put my hand on his arm. He turned to face me, and we were only an inch apart.

"What's happening, Edward?" He reached for my hand and drew small circles in my palm. I closed my fingers around his hand, and marveled at how tiny they were in comparison to his.

"I can't tell you Bella; not yet." He used his other hand to wrap it around my waist, drawing me closer to his body. He was so very cold.

"But you know what's going on?"

"Yes."

"Then why can't you tell me?"

"There are rules." He grazed his lips across my forehead and my breath hitched.

"I don't want to live another day at Nic's, Edward. I don't know you, but I fear that if you asked me to run away, I'd comply." I chuckled darkly as he kissed my forehead once more. "Even if you are an axe-murderer or a demon sent from hell, I feel as though I can't stay away from you." He kissed my forehead one last time before stepping back, his gaze firmly fixated on my eyes. Very slowly he reached towards his own and pulled out his contacts.

His irises were a brilliant and swirling red colour, standing out against the black of his pupils. I stood with my mouth agape and my eyes wide. I had been right; he was hiding something magnificent-if not terrifying-under those ugly contacts. After a moment of not saying anything his eyes went sad.

"Stay strong for now, sweet girl. Just a little bit longer and I promise I'll tell you everything. Then you can decide if you really want to run away with a demon." I closed my mouth and looked firmly into his eyes, trying to tell him that I meant what I said previously, even if his eyes were the colour of blood.

"So you're a demon?" He stepped closer to me once more and his eyes burned into mine.

"Yes, sweet girl. I am the worst kind of demon." He smiled sadly but remained close to me, his arm slowly slipping back around my waist. "I am a demon, but I can promise you that I will never hurt you, not even by accident." He took another deep breath and planted a kiss on my forehead. "You are my life now." He kissed my cheek and we broke apart, him opening the passenger door of his car and ushering me inside.

He drove me back towards the brothel, keeping mostly quiet for the drive. I looked out the window and tried to determine what he was. He told me he was a demon, so images of murderers and werewolves, sprung to mind, but I couldn't fit him with any of those. When we finally reached Nic's, I had come up empty.

"I don't want to go in." I whimpered. Today I had experienced hope, something that I hadn't had since I was a young child. Having to leave Edward was like having this hope ripped away from me.

"Be strong, angel." He squeezed my hand and walked around the side of his car, opening the door. I stepped out and looked at the door to the house. Edward brought me into his embrace and kissed my nose.

"I promise I will get you out of this place as soon as I can. I just need to arrange some things and then everything will work out. Trust me." With that he gave me a crooked smile and got back into his car, driving away. I looked to the brothel and steeled my shoulders. I would be strong; if not for myself than for Edward, the man who I knew nothing about but trusted to keep me safe.


	4. Chapter 4

**I own nothing.**

**Thank you for the support. **

**I always like writing Edward's perspective better, but I'm enjoying the back and forth. **

**Edward**

Leaving Isabella at the brothel was probably the worst idea I have ever had. Despite my many years on this planet, I was foolish when it came to my emotions. My dead heart was soaring, but my mind was reeling from what the circumstances now provided me with. I was no longer alone, but I did not know what companionship was. I was lost, and I had no idea how to find whatever the hell I was looking for. I could not confess my worries unto Isabella either, like most mates would do, for she was human and would not know how to comprehend the information I was giving her. She would have no clue that the man who bought her breakfast and clothing was an eternal, seventeen thousand years old vampire.

The threat of the Volturi did not go unnoticed in my mind. To tell a human of our secrets was punishable by death of the vampire and their immediate coven. At the same time the Volturi revered mates and one of the obvious components of mating was the inability to lie to one's devout. Lastly, I was also well respected in the courts and so far the Volturi has never tried to impose any of their rule onto me. I was older than them, and probably much stronger. Could I take down the brothers if they threatened my mate? Most likely, yes. Did I wish for it to happen? Not in the slightest. Despite their annoying and arrogant demeanor they had done good for the vampire world.

Then there was the new threat of this vampire called Laurent. A nomad, I assumed; but one who had a death wish out for both the Volturi and myself. I had no idea as to why they would want me dead. I was just old; I had never proved a threat to any vampire outside of an assigned mission.

I pulled my car over when I reached Milan. Volterra was only a few hundred miles from here and it was much easier to run to the mountainous city on the border of Switzerland than to drive it. My heart was aching-it had been aching since the moment I took my sights off Isabella, but I put the emotions aside for now. I just hoped that my mate wasn't feeling this pain.

I ran through woodlands and jumped shallow streams. I could see the grand castle, sitting atop a hill in the distance when my phone rang. I fished it out from my pocket, checking the ID and smirked. It had been a while since they had called.

"Oh, my lord. I'm so happy for you!" They were also insistent on calling me names of authority, despite my hatred of anything of the sort. They claimed that one day I would be in power, not the Volturi. I claimed they were idiotic and they needed to refocus their brain.

"Alice, nice to talk to you as well." The bumbling nymph was smiling, I could tell. She had a way to make other vampires smile along with her. I could feel the corners of my mouth turn upwards as I slowed to a halt just outside the limits of Volterra.

"Oh, Edward. You've found her. She must be fabulous." My smile grew when I thought of the beautiful Isabella. She truly was a sight to behold. I remembered her soft brown hair and her fiery eyes. I could feel my arousal start though, so I put the thoughts of my lovely mate aside.

"She is, yes." I paused, "Why are you calling me, Alice?" Alice and I had an unspoken arrangement. We were dear friends to one another, but we only contacted each other if need be. Alice's current call had me worried that she had seen something unpleasant.

"Simply to congratulate a friend." Her voice was soft, as it always had been, but where she usually would tumble off into insane ramblings she did not. She was lying, hiding something from me.

"My thanks, Alice, but I know that is not the truth." The line went quiet for a moment but I could hear the tapping of a pen, so I knew she hadn't hung up.

"Is something going on, Edward? Something in Italy? I had a vision the other day of a vampire draining far too many humans. I assumed that the Volturi would be covering it. No problem, I assured myself. Then I saw you. Again, I knew that you sometimes took contracts for the brothers, so I wasn't worried. Two days ago I saw you in a dingy town with the happiest expression on your face. I knew that happiness could only come from being mated. Then I became troubled, for I could not see you in the next vision that I had. You disappeared." She had grown increasingly quiet throughout the conversation.

I leaned against a tree overlooking a wide expanse of snow and pondered Alice's vision. She had seen me mated, but then she saw me disappear. "Did you see my mate?" Was my immediate question, my fear for her safety growing into paranoia. Alice's quick no reassured me. My death was easy to deal with. I had lived long enough. Isabella's death would ensure quick retribution to any of the contributors.

"This isn't the first time your visions have failed, is it Alice? I'm near Volterra; perhaps they have acquired a new gift. A shield, perhaps?" A very, very powerful gift that would be. A shield would mean that a vampire would have to rely on brute strength to kill another. Aside from that a vampire's power became a part of them. To suddenly have restricted use of it would be like ripping that part away. It would be disarming. I briefly thought about my inability to read Isabella's mind. Perhaps Aro didn't have the shield, but I did.

I decided to keep this information to myself.

"Perhaps." Alice didn't seem convinced. "So is your mate there? Can I speak to her?" Interesting, Alice could not see Isabella. Perhaps I was right then, and my little love was a shield. I felt pride surge through me at her ability.

"No, Alice. My mate is human. I cannot exactly take her with me to Volterra." I heard her sharp intake of breath and it took a few long moments before she responded.

"Human, Edward? You'll be killed if the Volturi find out." The disgust in her voice made me snarl. It was instinctive and I couldn't control it. That scared me. To think I would snarl at a friend I had known for decades to defend a woman I had known for a day was slightly alarming. She seemed to understand though, for she rejected any notion of an apology.

"I should be the sorry one. I was out of place to insult another's mate. Please tell me her name." I started walking again. It was approaching dawn when I reached Milan and I had run for about twelve hours. Evening was starting again, and I wanted reach the Volturi and be through with them as soon as possible. Moreover, I wanted to go back to Isabella as soon as possible.

"Where did all this tolerance come from?" I chuckled as I picked up pace. "Her name is Isabella."

"Beautiful," I heard her mutter. "Her name means beautiful." I could see the castle clearly now and I was approaching the stone wall that encircled the land. I stopped once more to finish up my conversation. I had no clue of the spies the Volturi kept around their lands, but I was positive someone had seen me and was reporting my presence to Aro this very second.

"And she lives up to her name. Tell me Alice, where are you now?" My eyes scan the land, looking for spies. I sniff, but I smell nothing.

"I found my mate ten years ago, Edward. A man named Jasper Whitlock. He's suffered but I'm helping him to recover. We've joined up with Carlisle Cullen and his family." A sharp laugh escaped me. I couldn't help it. Carlisle was known for not drinking from humans. Alice had been a ruthless and bloodthirsty vampire the last time I saw her. To think that she would turn greatly surprised me.

"I knew your mate, Alice. He was a general in the newborn wars in the south. He escaped when the Volturi arrived. As far as I remember he was more bloodthirsty than even you were. Tell me, my friend, how are you faring with the vegetarian lifestyle?" I chuckled again. By now I was close enough to see a few tourists and citizens walk the mountain trail to the entrance of the village. The road was too narrow for anything but the rickety tourist bus and the few narrow sports cars the visiting vampires owned.

"Quite well, actually. Carlisle sends his regards." I nodded and joined the throngs of people entering the city.

"Send him mine, as well." I hung up then. It was too dangerous to speak openly in this city. The architecture here was more reminiscent of medieval rather than Renaissance, a feature the Volturi themselves implemented eight hundred years ago and had refused to change. Volterra was also one of the few states that have never had an uproar or complaint from its population. That most likely derived from the villagers seeing what happened to all their tourists, and fearing for their own lives because of it.

A guard posting at the entrance to the village stopped me. I snorted briefly as I revealed my red eyes to the guards. They looked down quickly and ushered me through. This had been a stupid measure implemented by Aro to supposedly keep the people of the city safe. In reality it was so the guards could rip up the documents of every single tourist that entered the village. There would be no evidence that they had died here, and the reports would say that they died in a car crash on the way up the mountain. The villagers were smart enough to keep quiet, as well. The whole purpose of vampires showing their eyes was so that they wouldn't ask for our papers. They thought we were a part of some sort of cult.

Volterra was a sight to behold, despite it being home to a group of powerful vampires. The city was divided into sections. The lower half was all residential with a few shops. Here was where most of the citizens lived. The stone wall, with hedges or storefronts facing them, backed most of the tiny stone houses. Instinctually they knew to live as far away from the vampires as possible.

After that came the large square, St. Marcus' Pathway, a large open area with the ground made of cobblestone and a large ornate fountain in the center. A few of the richer homes and some cafés were here, but not many. Finally, up a hill of about two hundred steps was the castle. I kept my head low as I walked the steps. At the top I pushed open the heavy wooden door and entered.

The entryway of the Volturi castle was as ornate as the outside. The ceilings were huge, with tapestry and stain glassed windows decorating the walls. Regal looking furniture was dotted here and there and another door as large as the front was at the back of the entry. A woman at a low desk sat in front of the door. I walked towards her and she paled. I saw in her mind that she wished to be a vampire, but the current verdict was that she was losing her youthfulness, and thus her attractiveness. The humans didn't wish to entire a dreary castle with an unattractive clerk. At the end of the winter, she would be killed. She lowered her head and muttered a greeting as I walked past her.

Connected to the entryway was a long hallway that originally would have been designed for prayer. An incredibly large stain glass window was above a raised platform and beyond that a set a doors too heavy for human hands to open. They had been designed this way. Aro didn't want any of his prey escaping.

I didn't bother knocking, I never had. Aro was sitting on his throne, along with Marcus in his. Caius was there too, sitting to the throne on Aro's right. He looked up as I entered but became bored quickly, returning his attention to the court scene.

A young female vampire stood quaking in front of Aro, her head low and her hands behind her back. I could see Jane leaning against the far wall, her attention on this young girl. I looked into the prisoner's mind briefly to see that she had been caught out in the sun, sparkling. The guard's had captured her and she was being tried for treason. I raised one of my eyebrows at Jane, who shrugged, and leaned against the wall next to her. The young girl cast a brief look my way before returning her attention to Aro.

"You have betrayed yourself more than the species, Melissa. It truly is not our fault. It is such a shame that our first meeting will result in your death." Aro sighed and got up from his throne. He lifted Melissa's chin with two of his bony fingers and made her look him in the eyes. I could see it in his thoughts that he was reading her memory.

"You have a mate, is that it?" The girl nodded and Aro sighed. He let go of her face and returned to his throne.

"Such a shame, but I'm sure you wish to return to him." The girl nodded her head wildly. "What is his name?" Aro's voice was soft and directed at the frightened girl. The entire room was silent, waiting for the girl's answer.

"Oliver, his name is Oliver." She gasped and shuddered as though reliving a horrific memory. Aro smirked and nodded to the back of the room, where Felix and a new guard, Cornelius came forward. He nodded and they each grabbed one of her arms.

"I'll be sure to send out my guards to kill him too." He smiled cruelly and at once both of her arms were torn off, spewing venom and stale sloshy blood onto the ground It smelt vile and I could tell Jane felt the same, for she scrunched her nose and covered her face with a cowl. The woman was screaming, though probably more from the threat to her mate than any actual pain.

"Please," she cried as her foot was ripped off. "Please don't hurt him." She was nothing more than a dripping torso and head by now. Aro stepped forward once more and knelt to her level.

"Rules cannot be broken, traitor." He took her head in his hands and pulled, the bones resisting momentarily before snapping, sinew and floods of venom escaping from the wound. He dropped the head and Felix grabbed the pieces of what used to be Melissa. They were still squirming, trying to put themselves back together. Aro nodded his head and sat back down.

"Incinerate her." He said and Felix walked towards a giant fireplace at the back of the room. The fire was already blazing, but the flames grew high when they came in contact with the venom. One final cry from Melissa's mouth was heard before it died down and purple smoke exuded from the fire and into the chimney. Aro chuckled and his attention focused onto me.

"That was cruel, Aro." I stepped forward and in front of the three brothers. Caius pretended not to notice me and remained looking bored and at the walls of the dank and dark room. Marcus sat chatting to Renata. Aro raised his eyebrow and sat deep in his throne.

"How so, my friend?" Aro was always trying to gain insight into my mind. I had never let him actually touch me, so he never had the chance to experience my memories. He longed to do so; I knew it from his mind.

"You claim to honor the bond between mates, yet you threaten the poor wretch when she couldn't even defend him." I shook my head and crossed my arms. "That was uncalled for."

"Bah, I was being merciful. Were I truly cruel I would have threatened to keep her mate alive and well for millennia, tortured in knowing he would never see his mate again. No, Edward. She and her Oliver will be reunited in whatever afterlife there may be." He chuckled again and sipped from a chalice of blood. "But I know that you're not here to ridicule me. Have you gained any insight in the murders that have tore across Europe?"

"Yes, I have. A dark vampire named Laurent is the one you are looking for. Very cunning, and not a newborn. He specifically mentioned wishing for your downfall." Aro nodded and swirled the blood in his chalice. He looked to me with blood red eyes on paper skin.

"How do you know of this?" I had expected this level of scrutiny. The Volturi had always respected me, but they had never quite trusted my motives. They always thought I wished to overrun them.

"I did as you asked and completed an investigation. The vampire Laurent is who you want. He fancies fucking with human girls." A snort came from Jane's direction and Caius finally looked up.

"So you trust the merit of a human?" He laughed dryly. "Do you know anything else? Does he have any accomplices?" He stared right at me. "More importantly; if you know who he is than why isn't he dead?" The air was silent and for a moment I felt as though I were on trial.

"You tasked me finding out the source of the murders, not destroying them. I'm not a fighter and you know that." He smirked and his eyes flickered to Jane, who was watching the roaring and sizzling fire. He sighed, a long and weary sound and seemed to give up, letting Aro return to speaking.

"I fear that my brother could be right, my friend. I would feel much more secure if you would let me see the instance myself?" Aro cocked an eyebrow and I took a step back. A week ago I would have scoffed but have had no true reason for objecting other than my privacy. Now though, I had Isabella to protect. This woman that I barely knew in my mind, but my body knew with every fiber, was at the center of my thoughts when Aro propositioned me. I couldn't let him know about her. He would destroy her. This time when I rejected, I did it with vehemence.

"Very well, I respect your choices." He gestured with his eyes towards Jane. "I'll send Jane and Alec to look around Genoa. If they find a dark vampire named Laurent, then they will kill him. I'm being very generous here Edward, I hope you see that." I bowed my head in a nod and turned to leave. The fire was dying down and the Volturi could never go too long before tearing a vampire to shreds. I didn't want to give Aro an incentive to try and kill me. It wouldn't end well for either of us; I could overpower him and his brothers easily enough. The same couldn't be said for the rest of the guard, however, and I was sure if a fight ever did ensue, I would lose as well.

"I do Aro, thank you." With that no more was said and I rushed through the palace and its grounds. My heart was yearning; it needed to get back to Isabella.

I pulled my car up beside the brothel. It was late at night and all the lights of the city were shut off. It gave off an eerie feeling, but I knew in my bones that my mate was safe. I locked the car and looked up, sniffing the air. I could smell my little love's scent from a mile away and I quickly located the room she was staying in. I jumped up to the window and pulled away a sheet of cardboard. I frowned as I stepped through the window. Broken shards of glass lay on the ground and the room stunk of perfume oils and urine. I walked towards the bed, where my sweet girl was curled up, and sat down.

Carefully, I brushed my hand along the expanse of her face. She hummed in her sleep and snuggled closer to me. I smiled, but it was grim. She was too good for me, too good for a cynical old vampire. If I were smart I would get her out of here, put her in a large mansion and allow her to live her life luxuriously while I stood on the sidelines. But I couldn't do that. I was too selfish.

I must've pressed too hard for after another stroke of her face she had woken up and was blinking her eyes. She wasn't shivering, and it pleased me to see that she still wore the jacket I bought for her, I brought the smell woolen blanket up to her shoulder and shushed her.

"It's just me, my love. Don't worry." She calmed down and settled back into the bed. Her eyes were wide as she looked at me and I cupped her cheek, touching her so softly.

"I thought you had left me." She turned her face and I saw a bruise in the shape of a handprint. A low growl formed in my chest as I traced the mark with my fingers. I felt the rage boil within me. Whoever dared to hurt her would pay for their crimes.

"Nic did this yesterday." She whispered and lay her head back down. I lay down beside her and our foreheads touched.

"Sweet girl," I murmured, "why did he hurt you?" She smiled slightly, but her eyes were tired and she let out a yawn.

"Because I wouldn't tell him anything about you. It didn't feel right." She snuggled up against me and I felt her breathing even out as she started to fall back asleep.

"Oh angel, this is my fault?" I squeezed her gently and she sighed, rubbing my chest with her nose. Knowing that she was defending me was sweet; but I did not wish for her to be hurt. I planted a kiss on her crown and she sighed.

"Don't worry, the marks I left on him are even worse." I chuckled and squeezed her once more. I was still filled with dread and rage, but knowing that she had exacted revenge placated my beast somewhat.

She fell asleep a few moments later and I decided that tomorrow morning I would take her out of here. We could go to England. I had a house there. I could tell Isabella who I was, pray that she won't run away, and we could live happily ever after. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

An hour later I was awoken by the vibration of my phone. It was Alice calling, and I wondered why she felt the need to contact me more than once in a single day.

"Edward, you need to leave." Her voice was panicked but in the background I could hear laughter and music. She must be in a sort of commons area. Almost immediately I sat up, jostling Isabella awake.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I hugged my mate close to me and she whimpered, reaching out a hand to rub at my jaw. I was amazed by how much the action soothed me.

"It's Alec and Jane. They'll find you in twenty minutes and send word back to Aro that you're with a human. You'll be killed. She'll be killed." I stood, pulling Isabella up with me. She was half awake and in a very tired mood, but she seemed to understand my urgency and ducked underneath her bed to try and find something.

"You're sure about this? It couldn't just be a fluke?" Isabella pulled out a book from under the bed and gathered her blanket in her arms. She tried tugging me towards her bedroom door but I shook my head, instead drawing her close.

"Yes Edward, I'm sure. You only have ten minutes left. Aro told them to follow your scent. They've caught it and are heading your way. Listen, come here to visit me." I snarled and Isabella cowered into me. I kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. I hadn't meant to scare her.

"Are you crazy Alice? I'm not bringing my human mate to a coven full of-" I stopped short, remembering that I had company who wasn't a vampire and turned towards the window.

"There's nowhere else to go, Edward! They'll smell that you're with a human and Aro will consider you a traitor. He'll search you out if you remain in Europe." She paused her a brief moment. "Africa won't work either. Come to the States, it might give Aro some time to forget." I pinched the bridge of my nose. I knew that Alice was right. Aro was a stubborn bastard and it would give him a sense of smug pride to know that he had bested me.

"Where are you?" I snapped.

"Forks, Washington. I'll meet you in Seattle. You have five minutes, Edward." I snapped my phone shut and grabbed Isabella up into my arms. She yelped and grabbed at my chest.

"Is there anything else here that you're particularly attached to?" She shook her head and I muttered a quick 'good' before I launched myself out of the window and landed right beside my car. She let out a little yelp and her eyes went wide once we landed; but all I could offer her was a kiss on the forehead as I settled her in the backseat of my car.

"I promise I'll explain, I just need you to trust me." I got in and started the car.

"I do trust you." She whispered. I reached back with one hand to clasp her hand with mine.

"I promise I won't hurt you." I muttered as I veered onto the highway. She yawned and gave my hand a squeeze before letting go.

"I know you won't."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for the continued support.**

**Sorry for the slight delay, December is a crazy busy month. I'll definitely update again before Christmas though. **

**Isabella**

Awoken from my slumber and rushed into a shiny silver car was not an average evening for me. Alas, here I was, lying face down in the back of Edward's Volvo, my eyes drifting open and close in time with Edward's occasional swears. He was taking us to Nantes and from there we were taking an airplane to the United States. I still had no clue as to why we had to leave Genoa, nor had I any indication of his true motives towards me. Something inside just told me to trust him, and I followed that instinct.

"Are you alright, Bella? You've hardly said a word." This was the first time Edward directly questioned me in hours. I had assumed he didn't want to be spoken to; when I asked him where we were going he seemed quite irate.

"I'm alright. Are you okay?" He chuckled and changed lanes. I was surprised that the little car hadn't run out of gas by now, we had been travelling for at least a half a day. The sun was well into the sky by now. I counted on my fingers; it had been four days I had known Edward. Two of those days I had spent alone in my thoughts, but in my heart I knew he was loyal.

"I'm coping. You are truly remarkable, little love. I would never expect a human to go along with a stranger so willingly." He chuckled again and increased his speed. I rolled over so I was on my side and facing him.

He posed a good question. Why had I followed him so willingly, when I knew next-to-nothing about him? He clearly wasn't human; that much was obvious by how he constantly referred to me as such, but he looked very much like a man. He said he was a monster, but I did not see how that was possible. My heart filled with joy when he was around, not dread.

From the moment I saw this man I felt my being change. Where before I had been consumed by sadness and self-loathing, now my entire happiness centered on Edward's state of being. Granted, my life didn't totally revolve around him. I still had my likes and interests, just as I was sure Edward had his; but now I felt tied to him and I knew that should anything ever happen that would cause him to cease, I would perish. He was the most important person in my life now. He overshadowed Nic- who despite being a pig I had known my entire life, and had rescued me and brought me away from my dreary home. I smirked and sat up. I felt too much like a damsel in distress.

"Can I join you?" He nodded and I scurried my way out of the blanket and into the passenger seat. He watched me curiously as I secured the belt around myself and turned on the radio. A choir belted out the tunes to _Angels we have Heard on High, _and I looked to Edward in surprise.

"It's close to Christmas?" I asked him as the song continued on, belting out the lyrics rejoicing a holiday that I loved, but never had cause to celebrate.

"Yes. Five days until, I think?" He cocked his head to the side before nodding. "You didn't know what the date was?" I shook my head and sighed, turning off the radio and turning to look out the window.

"No, I had no reason to at Nic's. All I knew was when it was cold and when it was hot. I knew it was sometime in December, but I wasn't sure what the exact date was." I took a deep breath and shrugged out of my jacket. I threw it into the backseat and rolled my shoulders. I took a piece of my hair between my fingers and suddenly wished for a shower.

"Your mind is silent to me." That surprised me. I released my hold on my hair and looked to him with confusion in my eyes. He gave me a meek smile before returning his attention to the road.

"I figure now is as good of time to reveal my secrets. I want you to be aware of them before we reach the States." He smiled without humor and exited the highway. "My name is Edward, and I'm a mind-reader." I chuckled at his attempt at a joke and shook the hand he teasingly stuck out. He didn't release me though, and kept our hands entwined over the console, his thumb stroking my palm.

"So you can read minds?" I raised my eyebrow and he nodded. "Wow, that must be something." He smirked and squeezed me hand.

"You don't think I'm lying to you?" He asked and for a moment I thought I saw a flicker of doubt in his eyes. That was exchanged for a look of awe and surprise when I shook my head.

"You haven't lied to me thus far. I already know you're not human; or at least not an average human, so it's not too far-fetched for you to be a mind-reader." I laughed quietly and he looked at me curiously. I shook my head and blushed as I spoke.

"You sound like a comic book hero who doesn't want to be the hero." He smiled, but it was without humor.

"I'm not the hero, Bella. Never forget that. I may be gentle with you, but I'm not with anyone else." He took a deep breath as though to ready himself. "My eyes are red for a reason." He glanced at me for a second longer and I blushed, ducking my head.

"I don't care." Edward shook his head at my admission. I didn't think it was out of disbelief; moreover it was probably from surprise, if not confusion. My acceptance of his unknown nature must be strange to him, I had assumed that he would think I would have insulted and damned him, had I the power to do so.

"You should." He pulled the car to a stop beside a fast food restaurant and turned his body fully to face me.

"We'll stop here then continue on to Nantes." He took my hand and led me out of the car and into the restaurant, which aside from a few surly patrons was mostly empty. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a roll of bills. Handing me a few twenties he went towards a table for two, gesturing for me to get my food before he sat down.

I went to the washroom first-a thing dirtier than the brothel; and relieved myself before staring into the broken mirror. In it was a girl that I no longer recognized. Instead of pale and sickle skin, she had white cheeks with a hint of red blush, the rest of her skin looking vibrant and healthy. Instead of eyes the colour and expression of mud, they were now the most exquisite chocolate waiting to be devoured. Her hair, once a brittle and frozen brown straw, was now as soft as a dove's wing, and the colour of chestnuts. This girl, she looked beautiful. I could hardly believe it was I who was the reflection in the mirror. I finished up quickly and left the bathroom, but not before giving the mirror a small smile.

I bought a large slice of pizza and two bottles of lemonade before returning to Edward. I tried to offer him one of the drinks but he just smirked and shook his head.

"Keep it, it'll keep you hydrated for the next seven or eight hours." I winced at the amount of time we still needed to spend in the car and he stared at me curiously. I sat down and began eating my pizza.

"What you must be thinking, the way your brow puckers and your lips lift." He sighed, "What I would give to be allowed into your head." He shook his head and began playing with the edges of the little round table. We sat across from each other, and not a moment went by where I did not feel his intense gaze surrounding me.

"So you can read everyone's mind but mine? Prove it." He smirked and tilted his head towards a trucker sitting a few tables down from us. Out of hearing range, but still quite visible.

"He's debating whether to get the roast beef or the chicken sandwich." I raised my eyebrows at Edward. That was too generic. "He's decided on the spaghetti, oddly enough." As if on cue the man got up and walked to the takeout counter, ordering plateful of spaghetti. I looked to Edward with a bewildered expression.

"So why can't you read my mind?" I took a bite of the crust of my pizza, downing the first of my lemonades.

"I have a theory, though it is farfetched. Some of my kind have inherit gifts, things we were born with into this life. Mine is mind reading, my friend Alice can see the immediate future. Yours, I believe, is shielding." My brow furrowed as I finished the last bite of my meal. What did Edward mean by his kind?

"How could I be a shield, I'm not one of your kind." Edward nodded, as though he had anticipated this response from me.

"Yes, that is true, though I think I have an explanation, if you'll hear me out." I nodded and Edward took a deep breath. He leaned back in his chair and started his story.

"The two of us, we share a connection exclusively to my kind. You feel that, I know. I feel it as well. To deny it would be idiotic. Nevertheless, I believe that our connection was destined for the two of us since our respective births. Your genetic material somehow had the foresight to know you would end up with someone like me, and designed the one thing to protect you. As a shield, you have the power to hide from anyone, pair or group of my kind. You have the power to keep yourself, and possibly me, safe from harm. You're the most powerful one of my kind, and you're not even one of us." I could hear the unspoken _yet_ in his words and blushed, shying away from his talk of power and protection.

"What is your kind?" A simple enough question, or at least I believed it to be. Edward however got a stony look on his face and his red eyes changed to a slightly darker colour. He set his mouth in a thin line and shook his head.

"Some other time." I nodded but gave him a look to indicate that he would be explaining what that was, soon. He nodded with a resigned look on his face.

"Why didn't you put your contacts in?" Edward's eyes were gorgeous, a sea of rubies that would make a thief weep with joy. I had a gut feeling, however, that they weren't supposed to be on display. He pulled out the green colored contacts from his pocket and placed them on the table.

"People will believe what they wish. In truth, most will think the red is just a contact." He shrugged and threw the contacts into a nearby trash bin. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, looking at a text message. I watched as the corner of his mouth twisted upwards on one side and the other form a hard line. His eyes squinted for the briefest of seconds before he returned his attention to me.

"Are you done?" I nodded and he stood, grabbing my garbage and throwing it out. "That trouble I mentioned earlier? They just returned from the brothel. Right now they're debating whether or not to make a commotion about your scent. Either way, it's best that we leave." I nodded and took one last swig of my lemonade, grabbing the full bottle and following him out to the car.

"Would it be bad if they told about me?" I asked as Edward opened the passenger side door for me. I blushed and muttered a thank-you before stepping in, throwing the drink in the backseat and putting my seatbelt on. Edward got in around the other side and started the car, backing out quickly and pulling back onto the highway.

"Very bad," he answered once we got moving. "Aro-the leader of my kind-always wished to gain an advantage over me. If he found out about you, he'd have it." My brow furrowed as I tried to process his words. He was stranger than any man I had ever met, and yet nothing he said scared me away from him. I felt as though I were a whirlwind of emotions, going too fast to recognize or embrace each one.

"Why does Aro want an advantage over you?" He chuckled and looked at me briefly, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"I'm old, little one. Very old, and very powerful." Suddenly the blanket from the backseat floated into the front. "Most of my kind is lucky enough to have one power. I possess several. Aro wants to know how that's possible. I refuse to tell him." I felt like Alice tripping down the rabbit hole into a world I knew nothing about.

"How do you obtain more than one power?" Gorgeous, he was gorgeous. The sun shone in through the car window and his skin seemed to almost glow. His copper hair tinted a dark brown and his eyes grew soft.

"Just like anyone gains a skill. I discovered what I wanted to learn, and then I practiced. Quite simple, honestly. Of course I am restricted." He looked at me again and this time smiled a much gentler version of the crooked one he had given in the restaurant and grabbed for one of my hands. The tingling spark ran through me and I shivered.

"How are you restricted?" He brought my hand to his mouth and caressed it softly with his lips. In the back of my mind I figured that I must smell horrible to him. I couldn't even remember the last time I bathed.

"I can only deal in matters of the mind. Telepathy, hypnosis, telekinesis; those are my expertise. I've dabbled in future seeing, like the gift my friend Alice has; but I'm no good at it. Seeing the future relies too much on a decision, on a person. I can't wrap my mind around it." His smile turned wry. "Alice never fails to hold that piece of information over me."

"You mentioned a connection that we have, can you elaborate?" His hold on my hand tightened and his face turned serious.

"I'm afraid it will scare you, we still hardly know each other." He sighed and the light returned to his eyes. Gently with softness I have never seen in a man's touch; he ran his index and middle finger down the length of my cheek. I felt them redden and he smiled softly, his lips smooth and perfect.

"Why did you come with me?" His voice had gone remarkably humble, something I had yet to see from him. He looked to me with curious eyes and ran his fingers once more down my face.

"Should I not have?" He sighed again and shook his head, finally dropping his fingers back to the wheel. My skin stung where his touch was.

"I don't know. I guess I just came because you feel safe." I shrugged and he looked at me with an incredulous look on his face. I could feel a blush of embarrassment coming on and I ducked my head.

"I've lived my life on the street before you came. Once you got here," I shrugged, "it was like a burst of light. Now I don' feel like my life is in jeopardy anymore. I don't know anything about you, but I know that you're safe." His eyes smoldered and the cherry red swirled.

"Thank you for trusting me, Bella. I promise to earn it." I brought my knees up to my chest and looked out the window at the rolling hills and forests.

"What's your favourite colour?" He barked a laugh and the joy returned to his face, brightening every crevice.

"Until I met you? Blue. Now that I have; whatever colour makes you the most happy." We continued on asking stupid little questions until I had exhausted my resources for small talk. I tried to categorize and remember everything he said, but it was so hard. He was such a complex character and I felt plain next to him.

"You're amazing, little love." He smiled and parked the car off to the side beside a forest. He turned to face me and took both my hands in his. "You're everything I could ever hope for." His eyes crinkled slightly and the sight looked quite human compared to his godly form. He looked out the frost-tinted window towards the full moon. It was shining brightly, making the trees glow and the snow to glisten. It almost looked ethereal and I wished the moment could be captured into immortality.

"Come for a walk with me." He got out of the car and helped me out, wrapping my coat and blanket around my shoulders before slipping an arm around my waist and leading me towards a small path between the trees. We walked through the snow, our boots crunching and my breath frosting. The moon outlined our shadows on the ground and I saw how much larger he was than me. He looked like an angel standing watch.

Soon enough we stopped in a clearing and Edward turned to me, his face stoic and portraying what I thought was nervousness.

"I'm ready to tell you everything." His voice was a whisper that fit in perfectly with the soft wind that rustled the tree branches and dusted the snow. He almost fit into the landscape.

"What is there to tell?" He flipped my hands over so they were palm facing and he gently drew a small circle on each of them.

"Do you feel how cold I am, little one?" I nodded but my brow was furrowing. He let go of my left hand and raised it to his chest, ripping his shirt and jacket off over his heart. Covering my right with his he pressed my palm to the skin. It was cold and not drumming to life like I expected it to.

"Are you real?" It was my time to whisper and I looked at him with eyes about to spill over with tears. I wondered if Jacob had gotten his way and now I was dead and lucky enough to go to heaven.

"I've been alive for over seventeen millennia. Am I real? I'm real by how you see me, but fake by how I am portrayed by the legends." His eyes were half closed and I noticed that he wasn't affected by the cold, or the blowing wind. I walked forward and placed my ear over his heart. I heard nothing but the sound of the wind as it passed through his skin and bones. He placed a hand on top of my head and I froze for a moment before relaxing. I trusted my earlier judgment, and knew he wouldn't hurt me.

"What are you, if you are both the truth and the imagination." His hold on me tightened but I felt liberated, not restricted.

"My eyes are red because I drink the blood of humans. It sustains me and allows me to live in the same way you eat the meat of a cow. I do not kill to be malicious, I kill out of necessity." He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "I am what the humans call a vampire." He released me then and took a step back. With one hand he threw me his cell phone and car keys. With the other he opened his arms and welcomed me in.

"So was this all an elaborate trick? You give me hope only to destroy me. I guess I should thank you for giving me a brief mention of utopia." I could feel my heart quicken as I took in the details that told me he was telling the truth. His skin was the colour of death and his eyes the colour of a murdered human.

"You killed Jessica and Lauren." I took a step back and felt my body start to shake. He tried taking a step forward but I recoiled and pressed the nine key on the phone.

"Yes, I won't deny it. They were a danger to my secret. That's the one rule of vampires, don't reveal the secret. Jessica knew, and so her life had to end. Lauren saw, and she also had to be disposed of."

I could feel bile rise in my throat and my hands started shaking so much that the phone and the keys dropped.

"You're a murderer." I whispered and I sunk to the floor, repeating those words over and over. Edward let out a small growl and I whimpered, shuddering and hiding my face behind my hair.

"Before you cast me away and forbid me from your society know that I will never harm you and I will make it my goal to make you happy." He crouched down and placed his hands in his lap, his face hung low.

"I'm not human, Bella, and you can't judge me by human standards." He cautiously took a step forward and though I did not move, I did let loose another whimper that caused him to whine, the sound a puppy makes when it has lost it's mother.

"If you are not human than why are you trying to take me into your world. Are you going to kill me because I know your secret?" I spat and he growled again. This time I looked him straight in the eyes and let him see my tears.

"How can I be sure that you won't turn on me? That every friend I make won't be killed in the dead of night?" Against my will he reached out and cupped my cheeks with both his hands.

"I share a connection with you deeper and more intense than anything I have experienced in my life. I would never hurt you or anyone you cared about. You're my light at the end of the tunnel, my epiphany." He looked down at the snowy ground. "But I'll understand if you no longer want to see me."

Despite the horrible things Edward has done and the even worse things we was sure to do, the thought of losing him was even worse. I came upon a brief sense of clarity and reached for him, grasping his forearm with both my hands. I looked into his eyes and saw more than a vampire, more than a monster. Perhaps I shouldn't judge him by human standards and accept that he was a vampire trying to be comfortable in a human world. I considered how he compared the cow to the human and though I did not like the analogy in comparison to myself, I understood what he was saying. More than that, I thought of everything he had said within the past week and realized that he never once lied during our conversations. He had been perfectly honest and had he been trying to shield me from the truth, he would have been evasive and secretive. He wasn't after my blood, but something else. I locked my eyes to his. He was after _me,_ all of me. My heart, my soul, my brain. He wanted me, Bella.

"Stay, if you'll have me." He whispered and brought his lips closer to mine. I closed the gap and brushed my top lip against his bottom.

"I will stay." I whispered, and our lips met. He caressed me gently, his tongue softly exploring the shape of my lips and his nose brushing against mine. We were one.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the continued support. **

**Sorry for the delay.**

**Edward**

Hearing her words and seeing her cower from me was a horrific sight that was now permanently etched into my brain. The image of her eyes filled with tears and her body tense as I stared her down made me recoil and want to retch. Knowing that she was scared of me made my insides twist but knowing that she disapproved and was disgusted by me was by far worse. Fear could change to tolerance but disapproval was lasting. Seeing in her eyes the hope she had in me as a man disappear made me break. I couldn't help the low growls and whines that escaped from my mouth. I was losing my mate, and my heart was shattering.

When she looked me in the eyes and told me she would stay I felt the tiny shattered pieces pick themselves up and slowly piece them back together. The whining stopped and in its place a low purr started to form in my chest. When our lips met the sound of my purr could be heard throughout the trees. The man in me disappeared and in his place the vampire instincts I worked not to hide, but to restrain took his place. The vampire who had but two desires; his mate and blood. The former took precedence over the blood of the deer and moose in the forest and met Isabella's lips in a kiss too passionate to be tender and too amazing to be simple.

The man returned quickly and the kiss turned sweet and loving and I worshipped the tender red lips of my mate. When we pulled apart I pecked her lips once, twice, before holding her chin between my fingers and I smiled, the joy in my face not able to be concealed. I was pleased to see the majority of my emotions' reflected in Isabella's eyes. The love I felt was shown in her chocolate eyes and her bright red cheeks symbolized the warmth I was feeling in my dead body.

"Wow," she muttered and I grinned, my teeth unintentionally baring. She wormed one of her hands through my arms and touched the tip of my canines. At the feeling of her touch they extended and she released a shaky breath.

"So vampires really do have fangs." She muttered and she stroked the length of the tooth. I nodded and forced the tooth to retract. She slowly lowered her hand to her side and ducked her head. I reached around to cup her cheek and pressed my lips to her cheek.

"Human skin is tough-occasionally." I grinned again and she pushed away from me with a disgusted look on her face. I chuckled and stood; my speed, faster than the most powerful sports car; startling her and she yelped, placing a hand to her heart.

"I get that you are happy, Edward, but please for my benefit, introduce these things slowly!" I chuckled again and reached down to scoop her into my arms. She yelped again but I already had her settled across my chest, her arms around my neck. She glowered at me and I grinned, bending down to kiss her forehead as I walked back towards the car.

"Edward! What did I just say?" She groaned and banged her head against my chest. I heard her mutter a quiet 'owe' that made me chuckle again; yet my eyes zoomed in on her head and made sure there were no bruises to be found.

"Sorry love." Her heart picked up speed and I pinched my brows together in curiosity. What a terror it was, not being able to hear her mind! I could see the car by now and I picked up my pace. "You're being awfully calm about this." She sighed and rested her head down. I reached the car and settled her into the passenger side.

"I guess I kind of overreacted back there, huh?" She sighed and her lips quirked upwards. "I suppose it makes sense; the legend had to come from somewhere, right?"

"That is correct." I answered as I started us back onto the main road. My hand reached across for hers once more and I wondered if she too felt the incessant need to touch. I felt empty when we were not connected and I had no doubt that should any serious distance come between us, I would perish.

"Though like I said, I am over seventeen thousand years old. The vampire came before the legend." Isabella continued her questioning and I answered most things. I told her of my feeding habits-to which she made a bit of an argument; my powers and their reasons for being, my speed, strength, intelligence, as well as some of the more interesting facts about vampires.

"So you can't sleep?" She asked, her eyes wide. We were coming into Nantes now and the airport was only thirty minutes away. I pulled off the highway and onto a few side roads before I answered her.

"Never." She sat back in her seat, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

"Nights must get boring." She mused and I threw my head back, laughing at full force.

"I manage." I shook my head, my lips twitching. "Beautiful girl, how are you taking this so calmly now, when you were terrified earlier?" She blushed and looked to the window, her hair forming a shield between myself and her eyes.

"I-I don't know really." She paused as we pulled into sight of the airport. I pulled the car to a stop beside a patch of trees and turned to face her. I quirked up an eyebrow and started at the cascade of beautiful brown hair.

"Come now, there must be a reason." Her lips puckered and her brow furrowed, all the while the blush remained on her cheeks and was spreading towards her forehead. Her eyes flicked towards the trees and she rested her cheek against the window glass.

"I guess I figure if you were going to kill me, you'd have done it already." She shrugged and I growled, showing my disapproval.

"That's a terrible excuse." I ground out and she blushed again, this time playing with her fingers in her lap.

"I know you won't hurt me, Edward." She reached out to place her hand over mine. "I feel this, whatever it may be. I may not fully believe you when you say you're a creature of myth," her lips twitched, "but I'm not willing to live without you." I smiled softly and brought our hands to my lips to press a kiss to them both.

"Yes, our connection. I suppose that's something I should explain before we leave for the land of the free." She snorted softly and nodded her head. I exited the car and rushed around to her side, opening her door and pulling her out. I held her on my arm as we walked towards the airport.

"Aren't you worried about your car? You're just leaving it here." She twisted her head back to look at it and I smirked, shaking my head.

"I can live without it." The Volvo was a good car, but it had my scent on it. If I were to leave all traces of myself in Europe it would need to be destroyed. Not that I told this to Isabella. She had enough to worry about without the added pressure of the Volturi.

"So what is it, this connection we share? Is it the reason why I left my home blindly to follow you?" Her question was innocent enough, but the reminder of where she used to live had me snarling.

"Yes, it is. Vampires, as I have told you, are unchanging. Once we are born, made, or created we remain the same as we were at the time of our change. Tell me, love, how old are you?"

She stared at me as though I had asked the most out of place question, but I simply smiled at her and nodded in a gentle prod.

"I just turned eighteen." Her brow furrowed and I reached out with my thumb to smooth in between. "But why does that matter?" I picked up our pace, the moon growing higher into the sky and the wind picking up its tempo.

"I have lived for over seventeen thousand years old, unchanging. Stoic and brooding, I believed to be too old to find a mate." The truth was out and I wondered if Isabella would pick up on the word, and if she would question further.

"A mate? What's that?" She was observant, for a human.

"A feature ingrained into a vampire's chemistry. When we awaken from our past life and into our new, our desire is simply for blood. We're crazy for it. However, once the initial bloodlust subsides a new desire forms. Vampires live a long time, you see, and we are not meant to spend that time alone." I smirked at the description. It was completely inadequate, the describing of feelings and how I actually felt.

"Being social creatures some of my kind forms what is known as covens. Small groups of men and women, never more than six. These sometimes work out, but more often than not the coven becomes dissipated and the members retreat. Most of my kind becomes nomads." We had reached the entrance to the airport and I closed my mouth, giving Isabella a look telling her I would explain later. She blushed and ducked her head as we walked through the hallways. She looked wide-eyed and frazzled at the new sights and sounds and my heart pained to see her look so frightened. For all her amazing feats in the past few days, she was still a frightened girl who never experienced life.

"When does our flight leave?" She whispered to me once we were settled on a bench, her tucked into my side as I kept watch, glaring at any humans I felt were too close.

"Soon; we're taking my jet." I pressed a kiss onto her forehead and she sighed, playing with my fingers.

"What's wrong, love?" She sighed again and shook her head, resting her head on my shoulder. I smoothed some of her hair away from her face and willed her to look at me.

"I keep waiting to wake up." She admitted and her voice was quite small. I understood where she as coming from; instincts I hadn't even knew existed were beginning to make themselves known. Some of them, like passion and love were wondrous and I never wanted to leave Isabella's presence. Like she said though, I often wondered if this kind of life was meant for me.

"Never, darling. You're with me forever." I kissed her forehead again before standing, leading her towards the jet. I nodded to the pilot as we entered and I directed her towards one of the lounge chairs against the far side of the wall. I sat down, plopping her in my lap and circling my arms around her waist, creating an iron seat-belt.

Isabella rested her head on my shoulder and looked out the plane's window. I pressed a kiss to her shoulder and rested my forehead there, closing my eyes and slowing my breath.

I figured I knew the reason for Isabella's now calm nature regarding my nature. Mates were, for the most part, loyal and understanding towards their partners. I knew that I would accept whatever crime Isabella could commit without question. Anything she could say that would be against my judgments or morals would be forgiven. It was an undisputed fact among vampires that a mated pair was almost in eternal agreement. Any arguments the pair had would be small and forgotten within a day.

There was of course a reason for this. Vampires lived a very long time and originally, we were humans. Like any human we craved society, we craved comfort. However when a human was changed into a vampire the human was shoved roughly aside and a beast was placed in the body. Instead of a human soul being the only inhabitant, now a beast and a man had to coincide. It was the reason why newborns were so volatile. The human in them was still there, still willing to fight. The new beast inside of them was assertive and had to make themselves known. Of course the newly-born vampire would fight against this and the result; a blood-thirsty, insane newborn who was waging a war inside of them. It was quite like the human body fighting a disease. The human fought the vampire with all of its effort. Eventually though, the human would succumb to the beast and the newborn phase would end. In the end a vampire was born, a powerful union between an angry beast and a submissive man.

Despite this union and the submissive nature of humans there was a quality that remained in the immortal being that the beast deemed necessary. The human desire for companionship continued on into this life. That was the main reason covens were formed. The vampire, useless on his own, required some form of kinship with one of his kind. A coven fulfilled this need to some extent, but the beast was also volatile and could not stand to be argued with. Most covens wouldn't last longer than a few centuries; a blink of an eye to the immortal.

No, it was the mate bond that lasted throughout an eternal's life. Desperate for companionship without trouble the beast evolved to form a connection to another being deeper than any coven could provide. The chemical composition of the beast was formatted like a puzzle piece. Every piece had their match and without it, the puzzle would always be incomplete. Without their mate, a vampire would always be searching, always alone. Once they found their one they were completely loyal; a puzzle wouldn't work if the pieces didn't all match together. Two separate pieces just wouldn't work. The pairing would be jarred and the end result would be ugly. The completed, devout puzzle was perfect and the pieces all worked in perfect synchronization. No large differences in the opinions between mates. No one was controlling of the other's thoughts, the two simply worked in unison. There was no need for differences, for the pair thought and worked together. One's decision was the same as the other.

Isabella's eyes drifted from the window towards my own. She smiled lazily at me and I responded with a peck on her lips. I eyed her beautiful face. The pale skin was marred with scars and dirt from her years on the street and her hair was in tangles. She was in complete disarray at the moment, but she was still gorgeous. The beast and the man were in union with this decision.

"Isabella," I smirked when she scowled and I reached up to ruffle her hair. "Bella," I amended. "I do need to tell you more about my kind." Her eyes flashes and I saw a tiny amount of fear that made my heart sting, but I quelled it quickly as her expression calmed and she nodded.

"What do you need to tell me?" As the plane lifted off I settled her further into my lap and she rested her temple back against mine. "Can you tell me what this is?" She raised her hand to touch my forehead and the electricity that flowed through us was marvelous. "Is the mate-bond the reason why I'm feeling this?"

"Yes." I answered and I purred at the contact. "As mates, we are intricately connected to each other for eternity. What I feel for you, I'll never feel for anyone else." I smiled cautiously at her, afraid that my talk of eternity and love would scare her.

"How do you feel for me?" She turned away from my smile and her fists clenched slightly. I cocked my head to the side and watched her. I longed to see into her mind, to know what caused her body to react in such strange way to my words.

"How to explain the length of my devotion?" I chuckled and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. She was still looking away from me and I wanted to remedy that as soon as possible.

"Have you ever felt so strongly for someone that you would give your life for them?" I asked her.

She hesitated a moment before nodding her head, her hands twisting and turning in her lap.

"Yes, I felt that way for Nic, at one point." I wasn't expecting to feel the surge of jealousy that ran through me. _Jungle cat. _The beast clawed and growled, my eyes flashing black at the thought of another placing their hands on my mate. Vampires were possessive, I knew this. _I_ was the one who discovered the phenomenon some fifteen-thousand years ago. I knew the rage of a vampire who thought their mate had been stolen from them. _Mine,_ the beast and the man agreed in unison. I knew the rage; I just wasn't expecting it to apply to me.

I closed my eyes, forcing them to return to their natural colour. I didn't want to scare Bella. Despite how well she was taking this, she had only seen me as a man. She hadn't seen the beast.

"Bad example." I bit out and she looked at me with curiosity in her eyes. I attempted a rueful smile, but I couldn't be apologetic over my ingrained nature.

"How I feel about you is…phenomenal. It surpasses the love of the purest and the tragically. Before you, I was cold, calculating. The world was an ant-hill, only there to serve a purpose. Now though," I leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "The world is wonderful. I see life where there was none before. I see life, love, colour and devotion. I see reason." I pressed another kiss, this time to her temple. She blushed and rested her head on my shoulder.

"I…I love you Edward. It's a pathetic excuse, but..." I silenced her with a soft kiss on her mouth, taking her bottom between my parted lips and softly moving my mouth against hers.

"I love you as well." My eyes brimmed with love. Only for her, always for her.

"Why am I feeling this, though? I'm not a vampire."

I thought that I knew. Like her ability to have a shield, I believed that somehow her body aligned itself to be the mate of a vampire before she was even born. Like by some twist of fate her genetic code identified itself as a vampire. Her human mind was readied to face the onslaught that would inevitably come from being my mate. Everything from the stress of being under the power of a vampire, to the intense emotions that occurred during mating.

I explained this all to her with my eyes locked onto hers and by the end of my little speech her face was beet red and her hands were twisting nervously in her lap. I had no doubt that she believed my reasoning. Rather, I believed she was having a difficult time processing all that had happened to her the past couple days. I knew that sooner than later she would experience some form of shock.

"Where are we going, Edward?" She asked me. She had been getting bolder and bolder in my presence lately, something that I wasn't sure how I felt about. On the one hand I was overjoyed that my mate felt comfortable with me. On the other, I knew that her knowing more about me only put her in more danger.

"The leaders of my kind, if they know of you we'll both be put to death. They would've found us if we stayed in Europe. So, we're going to visit some friends of mine in America." She visibly paled at my words and I found myself trying to reassure her. She shook her head at my coddling and pushed my hands away from her face.

"We're going to see more vampires?" She shivered and pressed her hands to her sides. Isabella's behavior was consistently surprising me. Perhaps she wasn't reacting amazingly to my nature; perhaps she still had self-preservation, but it had been dulled out because of our connection. It was something to consider.

"Calm, love. The vampires we're visiting, they're not like me. They drink from the blood of animals. You'll be safe." I didn't completely believe that myself, to be honest. No vampire could deny the beast inside, no matter how much they fought to keep their humanity. Somewhere deep inside of each of the Cullens there was a lurking beast, ready to strike. Did I trust them around Isabella? No, not at all. I trusted no one but myself around her, and even that was tenuous. Having her around me was what brought upon these dangerous situations.

"That's possible?" It seemed as though I still had much to explain to Isabella. I sank deeper into the chair, contemplating all the things Isabella did not know, and how much my knowledge and experience bested hers. It was too hard, sometimes, to remember how different we were. She was but a babe, in comparison to me.

The plane began its descent and I sniffed the air, testing to see if I could smell Alice Cullen yet. The air was ripe with the smell of human blood and sweat and it was only after a moment that I smelt the tantalizing scent of another vampire. Automatically my fangs lengthened at Alice's closeness to Isabella, but I bit them back. As soon as the plane landed I grabbed Isabella's arm and dragged her towards where I knew Alice to be.

Alice looked the same. Still short as a dwarf, her face gave off the undeniable air of childhood. Her hair was cut short into a bob around her face and her golden eyes glimmered like the sun. Alice had been changed at sixteen, and her looks showed it. Her face broke out into a grin once she spotted me and she strutted towards us, her hands in her pockets and her step more of a prowl. Despite all the grace in the world, Alice Cullen still looked like a predator approaching her prey. I pushed Isabella behind me and stuck out my hand to Alice. She rolled her eyes at my dramatics, but took my hand nonetheless.

"My lord." She greeted and peered behind me to look at Isabella. The latter was blushing and clutching onto my shirt. I growled lowly at Alice and she sighed, but didn't push the meeting between the two of them.

"I'm glad you came. Both of you." She nodded towards Isabella. "Carlisle was most pleased when he heard you'd be visiting." She turned around and led us towards a yellow car almost as bright as her eyes. It was beautiful yet revolting at the same time.

"We figured you'd want your privacy, so we procured a cottage some fifty or so miles away from the main house. Close enough that we can run to you within a few seconds, but far enough away to be out of hearing distance." She tapped her index finger on her temple, recognizing my inherit ability before getting in the car. I gathered Isabella in my arms in the backseat and she started the vehicle, pulling out of the parking lot with a screech.

"I'm most excited for you to meet Jasper, Edward. He's a very nice man."

Alice tolled on for the rest of the car ride, but as I sat in the back with the most beautiful girl in my arms, I could care less about what she had to say. All that was important was getting Isabella through this unharmed. If she came out alive, than all would be well. If anything should come to her, I was sure to perish. I just hoped that betting on Alice was the smart thing to do.


End file.
